French trams to get a second life in Ukraine

UKRAINE: France’s Métropole Européenne de Lille is to donate 23 surplus trams to help the Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv maintain public transport services during the war. Lille is to begin putting new Alstom Citadis trams ordered in late 2023 into service this autumn. This will enable the withdrawal of 23 Breda VLC trams dating from the 1990s which have been fully depreciated for three years.

MEL said Mykolaiv has faced significant difficulties in maintaining its rolling stock during the war, as some spare parts came from Russia. Donating the Breda trams which would otherwise be scrapped will give them a second life and contribute to the maintenance of public transport services in the city, which have been frequently disrupted by Russian attacks.

The city of Mykolaiv will organise and cover the cost of transporting the trams to Ukraine, which will take place gradually as they are withdrawn. Gauge conversion will be required, as the trams are currently metre gauge while the network in Mykolaiv uses 1 524 mm broad gauge.

‘International co-operation and European solidarity are part of the identity of Métropole Européenne de Lille. They are not abstract principles: they take on meaning when translated into action’, said MEL President Eric Skyronka on October 9. ‘This is the role of a major European metropolis: to build bridges, foster connections between peoples, and play its part in a Europe that is also built on solidarity between its territories.’

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