Community of Metros News: Shenzhen Metro Joins

Shenzhen Metro has joined the Community of Metros as part of the Nova consortium. Shenzhen Metro (SZMC) operates Lines 1, 2, 3 and 5 in Shenzhen, which comprises 158km and 107 stations. Line 4 is operated separately by MTR, but is from a customer perspective part of the same metro system. The total system (including Line 4) is already carrying an estimated 600-700m annual passenger journeys.

The system first opened in 2004, and expanded dramatically by over 100km in 2011 (before Shenzhen hosted the 2011 Summer Universiade). The network has been stable since 2011, but there are several new lines under construction, with multiple new lines to open in 2016.

Shenzen Metro Map

Shenzhen is a city of about 10 million in the south of Guangdong Province, adjacent to Hong Kong and less than 100 miles southeast of Guangzhou. Shenzhen Metro is a key part of what may be the most metro-connected megalopolis in the world – it directly links in two places to Hong Kong’s East Rail Line (the first time two Community of Metros members in different cities interchange!), and there are plans in the not-so-distant future to also connect Shenzhen Metro to the Dongguan Metro, which itself will connect to the Guangzhou Metro at its other end.

Shenzhen Metro is already working on plans to attend the next Nova meeting, which will be hosted by the Docklands Light Railway in London in September 2015.

CoMET and Nova News: Delhi Metro Hosts Nova Management Meeting

In September 2014, members of the Nova metro benchmarking group met in Delhi for their yearly management meeting, hosted by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. This was the first meeting for new members Oslo Sporveien, who presented an extended introduction to their metro. Excitingly, the meeting was also attended by the metros of Bangalore and Chennai, who were invited to attend as observers with a view to joining a new benchmarking group for new and rapidly-growing metros.

Meeting attendees agreed the work programme for the next year, as well as hearing reports on the previous year’s research including key performance indicator benchmarking, and the international metro customer satisfaction survey. In addition, attendees visited the metro and its operational centres to learn more about Delhi Metro’s operations in detail. The visit to the training school and simulator building was a particular highlight – here Delhi Metro is training staff not only for their own rapid expansion, but also for other new metros throughout India.

Nova members view simulators at Delhi Metro's training centre
Nova members view simulators at Delhi Metro’s training centre

As a result of its rapid growth, Delhi Metro will be moving in 2015 to the CoMET benchmarking group for the world’s largest metros. This was therefore a valuable opportunity for Nova members to see Delhi’s metro in action. RTSC and the members of Nova thank Delhi DMRC for their efforts in organising an interesting and productive meeting.

CoMET and Nova News: Oslo Metro Joins Nova

The Nova group of metros is pleased to welcome Sporveien as its newest member. A company 100% owned by the city of Oslo, Sporveien operates the metro (T-Banen) as well as trams and buses in the city.

With 115 three-car rolling stock units operated singly or in pairs across its 86km of track and 97 stations, Oslo Metro transported 85million passengers in 2013. 410 maintenance employees keep the metro and the tram in good condition, resulting in 99.8% regularity, and customer satisfaction of 96.0%.

With a vision to “make public transportation a natural first choice,” Sporveien will benefit from the collective expertise of the Community of Metros, and the Nova group in particular, to research ideas and good practices to realise this vision. In particular, Sporveien’s strategic aim to “at all times deliver the correct degree of quality to our products and services” will benefit from insight via the Key Performance Indicator system to identify appropriate levels of performance to achieve this goal.

With collaboration named as a key value in Sporveien’s roadmap towards future success, it is certain that both Sporveien and the Community of Metros will benefit from this new partnership.

Oslo T-bane Route Map

CoMET and Nova News: Nova welcomes London Docklands Light Railway

With the Nova group expanding to 17 members in 2013, the group is pleased to welcome Docklands Light Railway in London. It operates a 35-km network with 45 stations. After initially being designed as a light rail system to enable regeneration of East London, it has been repeatedly expanded to create a much higher capacity system, serving key East London destinations including the financial district and the Olympic park. Their network map may be seen below.

DLR's network map
DLR’s network map

CoMET and Nova News: Nova welcomes Rapid KL, Kuala Lumpur

With the Nova group expanding to 17 members in 2013, the group is pleased to welcome Rapid KL from Kuala Lumpur.

RapidKL operates two metro lines in Kuala Lumpur – the Ampang line, and the Kelana Jaya Line. Together, the two lines provide a 55km network that is integrated with both the suburban rail lines and the monorail in Kuala Lumpur. The image below shows their network at the time of joining.

Rapid KL's network on joining Nova
Rapid KL’s network on joining Nova

The Kelana Jaya line uses Unattended Train Operation, adding to the Nova and CoMET groups’ experience in this area.

CoMET and Nova News: Nova welcomes Nanjing Metro

With the Nova group expanding to 17 members in 2013, the group is pleased to welcome Nanjing Metro. The Metro is expanding rapidly, with a current network length of 80km and further lines under construction. The city of Nanjing will be hosting the Youth Olympic Games in 2014, and this is driving significant metro expansion. Nanjing Metro will be the first member of Nova in mainland China, and the group very much welcomes the diversity they will add.

nanjing for 2014 games

 Nanjing’s future network map, illustrating expansion driven by their hosing of the Youth Olympics in 2014