November 13, 2015
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UITP: 13.6 Billion Trips Worldwide on Light Rail; International Research: U.S. Activity 'Extensive'

Almost 400 cities around the world operate light rail and trolley (tram) systems and provided approximately 13.6 billion passenger trips in 2014, according to the most recent figures available from the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), with extensive activity in the U.S. and France.

UITP’s report, Light Rail in Figures, shows that 78 cities around the world have launched new light rail and tram systems networks since 2000, with the U.S. and France leading the way with 23 and 20 respectively.

More than 200 cities in Europe and almost 100 in Eurasia operate light rail and tram services with the most in Germany and Russia. All regions of the world have at least one light rail system in operation, with interest increasing in Africa and South America.

UITP issued the report at its International Rail Conference in Munich, where representatives of the global rail industry discussed the challenges they face and shared potential smart solutions for issues including energy, safety and maintenance.

The association and event participants jointly issued the “Munich Declaration,” which highlights the importance of rail to cities, calls on policy makers to keep a focus on urban rail and encourages planners to review the conventional design practice to keep costs under control. (See sidebar below.)

"Local rail including trams, metros and commuter railways provides safe, convenient, affordable and sustainable mobility to 265 million people in some 400 cities around the world every day,” said Alain Flausch, UITP secretary general. “As a result of its attractiveness, many urban rail systems face overcrowding. Significant investment is required to meet this growing demand: more lines, extensions, additional rolling stock and improved signaling but also to maintain and refurbish systems sometimes built more than a century ago.”

UITP reports that more than 36,000 light rail vehicles are in operation worldwide. On average, North American and Western European systems operate vehicles less than 20 years old, while Eastern Europe is in transition and agencies in Eurasia operate with the oldest fleets.

More than 15,600 km of light rail tracks are in operation throughout the world, with another 850 km under construction and 2,300 km in the planning stage. Melbourne, ­Australia, and St. Petersburg, ­Russia, lead in the distance of track with 245 and 240 km respectively.

Light rail and tram systems with the highest annual ridership worldwide are in Budapest, Hungary, 396 million; Vienna, 363 million; Bucharest, ­Romania, 322 million; Prague, Czech Republic, 317 million; and St. Petersburg, 312 million.

When ranked by number of vehicles, the largest systems are in Prague, ­Moscow, St. Petersburg, Budapest, ­Warsaw, Vienna, Melbourne, Bucharest and Yekaterinburg, Russia.

Find the report here.


UITP’s Munich Declaration
At the conclusion of the recent International Rail Conference in Munich, UITP Secretary General Alain Flausch listed these priorities for rail stakeholders including governments, international organizations, suppliers, consultants and operators:

1. UITP stresses again the importance and the role of rail in cities in providing safe, convenient, affordable and sustainable mobility. Rail is an essential component of a well-functioning economy in the powerhouses of the world—cities.

2. UITP calls on all parties to keep policy focus on urban rail, specifically by investing in new lines, extensions, additional rolling stock and improved signaling. Equally important is reinvestment in older assets, some of which date back more than a century.

3. UITP encourages planners and designers to review conventional design practice to control costs.

4. UITP recognizes the absolute need to improve the economics of urban rail operation and good practice on fare coverage.

5. UITP warns against medium-term technological challenges and threats such as electronic and software equipment with short life cycles and market availability.
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