| Angers tramway | |
| Imagesize2: | 300px |
| Native Name: | Tramway d'Angers |
| Locale: | Angers, Pays de la Loire, France |
| Transit Type: | Tram |
| Lines: | 3 |
| Stations: | 42 |
| Annual Ridership: | 10.05 million (2018)[1] |
| Began Operation: | 25 June 2011 |
| Operator: | RATP Dev |
| System Length: | 22.41NaN1 |
| El: | Overhead line Ground level power supply in city centre |
| Map State: | collapsed |
The Angers tramway (French: Tramway d'Angers) is the tramway network in the French city of Angers in Pays de la Loire.
Opened on 25 June 2011,[2] the system is operated by RATP Dev and replaced some bus lines, with the buses redeployed throughout the rest of the metropolitan area. The Alstom APS ground-level power supply has been used on two parts of the line totalling in order to avoid overhead lines in the centre of Angers and Avrillé. Angers is the third city using such system, after Bordeaux and Reims.
The total budget for the first line, re-evaluated in 2008, is around €350m (€47m for the trams), up from the 2004 estimate of €250m.
Main features for Line A:
As the line goes on both banks of the Maine, a new bridge was built to allow the trams to cross the river. It connects Angers' University Hospital Centre to Saint-Serge. This 270m bridge is accessible to bicycles and pedestrians as well as emergency vehicles.
Angers Loire Métropole awarded Alstom a €47m contract to supply 17 Citadis 302 trams on 15 November 2006.[3] A further 20 units were supplied for the expansion of the network.[4]
Design and personalization of the rolling stock is characterized by the front end "convergence" V-shape similar in form to a shield. The other major feature is the ubiquity of a rainbow, designed by the French agency RCP Design Global is found in the color scheme and interior design of the trams and other transportation in the city.
The interior of the trams is marked by floral figures in different colors on the ceiling, white walls and green seats to reflect the geological layers of Anjou.
The 16km (10miles) Line B was expected to be opened by 2020. It was planned to run from Beaucouzé, via the Atoll shopping centre via the Campus Belle-Beille - Université Angers to the main railway station and Parc des Expositions (Saint-Sylvain-d'Anjou) through Monplaisir district. However, in 2016 the city presented a revised proposal for the future Line B. Stopping at the Technopole Angers at the Universities Belle-Beille Campus, the lines length is stripped to 10km (10miles). Due to financial reasons, the start of construction has been postponed for 2019, so that a start of passenger transport can not be expected until 2022. The line, along with Line C, finally opened on 8 July 2023.
It has been announced[5] that the Line A will be rerouted from January 2021 via Centre de Congrès, avoiding Place du Railiement, using new tracks, a new junction south of Saint-Serge - Université and an existing junction immediately north of Foch-Maison Bleue that was built with the original line to facilitate a future expansion. The new route will serve two new stops at Centre de Congrès and Hôtel de Ville. The existing route between Molière and Foch-Maison Bleue will be retained as part of Line C that will run between Line B's western terminus at Belle-Beille - Campus and Line A's southern terminus at Angers - Roseraie allowing a direct connection between Belle Beille and Angers-Saint-Laud station.