Transport operator Keolis Downer has had its contract in Bordeaux renewed
In a show of faith, Bordeaux Metropole has renewed its confidence in public transport operator Keolis Downer by agreeing to a new eight-year contract.
The contract begins on January 1, 2023 and will see Keolis Downer continue to operate and maintain Bordeaux’s entire public transport network.
The contract features the creation of two new tram connections using existing infrastructure with new points installed at Porte de Bourgogne to improve traffic flow, as well as the introduction of seven Express bus lines.
Keolis Downer says this means there will be a 13 per cent expansion of the distanced covered by the network, with significant developments made in transport on demand and river shuttle services.
Keolis will also establish the first mission-driven company in the mobility sector in Bordeaux, with Keolis Downer’s services meeting the highest standards of sustainable development, including an 80 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Keolis Downer chairwoman and group CEO Marie-Ange Debon says the Keolis group is excited to continue working in Bordeaux.
“We are proud to continue our partnership and support the deployment of a safe, innovative and sustainable mobility service across the Bordeaux area,” Debon says.
“The appeal of the network and the reputation of the Metropole will be reinforced with new tram connections, enhanced multi-modal offers and the goal of setting up the first mission-driven company in the transport sector.”
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Keolis Downer says it intends to improve service frequency on the central part of Bordeaux’s network by reducing the interval between services from three minutes to two and a half minutes.
Keolis Downer has also signed a strategic partnership with Alstom to extend the lifetime of the network and improve the reliability of the ground-level power supply, which was one of the first such systems introduced in the world.
These new offers include a transport on demand service set to be deployed in 2023 that will provide additional solutions, as well as a new app for users to aid multi-modal route planning.
Keolis Downer says it wants to make its network the most advanced in France in terms of its commitments to reducing emissions and adhering to diversity standards.