Sevilla : City News

Last update : April 2005

Works for the metro in Seville

A network of 4 routes totalling 54 km was devised. Tunnels built in the 1970’s have been examined and a tendering procedure was organised for the building and the operation of the first route in the context of a 35-year concession contract. Three international consortiums bidded for the contract, which was granted to a consortium made of Dragados and Sacyr. Construction works for the first line of 18.9 km, that will link the south-eastern suburbs with the western part of the metropolitan area, started in June 2003. Operations are expected for 2006.

Implementation of new services

Actions on 12 lines to increase the quality of the service and the number of trips/day (123 new services).

Installation of new shelters

After the installation of 650 stops post, we will continue with the installation of new shelters (in one year and a half we have installed more than 200 shelters).

Users information system

The pilot plan was finished at the end of 2004. In 2005, we will continue with the installation of GPRS into the buses and the implementation of 20 new posts to inform the users about the time of next bus in stops.

Creation of a trip planner based on Internet

In 2005 will start a new project to improve the quality of the information of the users.

Study to improve connections with metro

The aim of this study is to know the necessities to improve the inter-connections between buses and metro in order to promote the intermodality.

Study for enlargement of the action area of the Consorcio de Transportes of Seville

Study to know the best way to extend the influence field and a new fare system to 19 new municipalities.

Successful fare integration implemented in Seville

Greater Seville includes 22 municipalities for a total population of 1.2 million inhabitants. Achieving greater fare integration between the 10 companies operating transport networks on its 1,300 km² territory has been a major objective of the Consorcio de Transportes del Area de Sevilla, the metropolitan transport authority since it was set up in March 2001. On 1st October 2002, a first step was implemented with the integration of fares of all metropolitan bus operators with the introduction of a common validation system for magnetic tickets and the launch of 10-trips tickets valid in the whole metropolitan area.
After one and a half year of operation, the decrease in number of passengers witnessed previously has been halted (12.8 million travellers per year). The new integrated fare system has been consolidated and the use of the new tickets is steadily growing.
During this period, 35 new buses have been purchased by bus operators, 23 of which being accessible for passengers with reduced mobility. Simultaneously, an ambitious programme of equipment and signposting of bus stops has been initiated, with the installation of 200 bus shelters and 650 bus stop posts.
Among the most noticeable projects in the short and medium term is the development of SIV, a real-time information system based on GPS technology and GPRS transmission of data. (added September 2004)
http://www.consorciotransportes-sevilla.com

New start for the metro of Seville

The project of building a metro network in Seville, the capital city of Andalucia and fourth largest Spanish metropolitan area (1 million inhabitants) was first mentioned in the 1960’s, when the municipality came to the conclusion that the surface transportation systems could not cope with the fast growing population and congestion of the city. A law of 1975 launched the procedures to build three lines, and construction works started in 1978. In 1983, however, all the works were stopped after a survey had concluded that the metro network would not be profitable because of the insufficient patronage expected. Nothing happened during 15 years, and even the International Exhibition of 1992 did not bring any change to this stalemate.

In 1999, minds finally changed and a new company, Metro de Sevilla, was set up so as to relaunch the project. A network of 4 routes totalling 54 km was devised. Tunnels built in the 1970’s have been examined and a tendering procedure was organised for the building and the operation of the first route in the context of a 35-year concession contract. Three international consortiums bidded for the contract, which was granted to a consortium made of Dragados and Sacyr. Construction works for the first line of 18.9 km, that will link the south-eastern suburbs with the western part of the metropolitan area, will start in June 2003. Operations are expected for 2005.

The total cost of the first line shall amount to € 430m, 250m of which will be borrowed from the European Investment Bank. The rest will be brought by the county and the municipalities served. (added April 2003)

Mobility study and quality of transport survey
The study begin in November 2003 and will be finished in June of 2004.

Installation of stops port
More than 900 stops posts will be installed at the end of 2003 with information of lines, stops and timetable.

Operating help system
In 2004 will be running a service based on GPRS to locate the buses and to provide information to the users.

Second phase of the management software
This software will provide all statistics of use of the tickets and demands.

Certification on quality
In 2004