(15/02/2012)  This tram project, which is co financed by the British Ministry of Transport, includes the opening of an extension of the existing line system in addition to the total replacement of the vehicles currently in service.

The contract, which is worth 40 million British pounds (around 48.32 million euros), also includes options for 6 further vehicles if the extensions currently under review are finally built.

Some of these future extensions currently under consideration include sections which would use the innovative power storage technology developed by CAF, which is already in use in the units supplied to the Seville and Zaragoza cities.

CAF vehicles have already been running for a few years in London and Leeds, coupled with projects currently being developed in Belfast (diesel units for regional and suburban services) and Edinburgh (27 tram units).

UK operations are further strengthened with the company's subsidiary CAF UK, which operates vehicle maintenance and business functions with offices in Belfast, Edinburgh and Coventry.

Vehicles

The trams to be supplied in Birmingham are similar to those commissioned last year in Zaragoza, which are the third generation of the Urbos tram. The main characteristics of these are: 30 metres long and 2.65 metres wide, aluminium body, 100% low floor and 70 km/h of maximum speed.