A high-performing tram line with tightly-controlled costs
In 2009, the greater Besançon area (Communauté d’Agglomération du Grand Besançon) embarked on an ambitious quest to overhaul its urban transport network in a decision designed to slot seamlessly in with its sustainable development policy. The goal was to build an east-to-west tram line that would be high-performing, green and affordable, cutting through the town centre and capable of paving the way for lasting change across the region’s transport landscape.
The biggest challenge lay in complying with the project’s tight €228M budget without tapping into new taxes or undermining other investment across the wider metropolitan area. This financial constraint sparked an innovative approach to how the project was designed and managed.
While tram projects traditionally stretch over multiple years, Besançon emerged as a shining example in how it optimised turnaround times and deadlines. One of the cornerstones of this successful approach resided in its lean decision-taking team and no proxy, paving the way for swift and efficient decisions to be made.
As the main operator, Egis brought its multi-disciplinary expertise in designing and developing tram systems. Once preliminary studies had been conducted to decide on the mode of transport to be rolled out, the Group took on the entire design and development process, encompassing the majority of the engineering works and project scheduling from start to finish. Egis’ expertise was particularly valuable in a context where this mode of transport was entirely new for the area, with a complete lack of pre-existing tram operators covering the conurbation prior to the project being developed.
