Bordeaux begins new phase of testing for its tramway

The Urban Community of Bordeaux, which groups the
municipalities in the Bordeaux conglomeration, received on
October 21 the authorization of the prefect of the Gironde to
begin the tests.

The authorization is a significant milestone for the project
and comes after dynamic tests over more than 8,000 kilometers.
The safety of the INNORAIL system for ground-level power supply
has now been recognized by CERTIFER, an independent French
railway certification agency, and by the STRMTG, part of the
French Transport Ministry.

The new phase of testing began on October 21 at 2 P.M., when a
CITADIS tram powered by the INNORAIL system traveled from Place
Stalingrad, on the Right Bank of the Garonne River, across the
Pont de Pierre bridge and up the Cours Alsace-Lorraine to the
city center.

CITADIS trams are scheduled to begin commercial service on
Line A of the Bordeaux tramway on December 21, 2003.

ALSTOM leads the consortium building the first-phase section
of citys tramway network and is supplying the 70 CITADIS
trams in the fleet.

With more than 35 product lines and a presence in more than
60 countries, ALSTOM's Transport sector offers complete
products and services for new rolling stock, signaling, and
electrical and mechanical infrastructure as well as maintenance
and rehabilitation services to four distinct types of
customers: urban transit authorities and operators; intercity
passenger rail operators and rolling stock owners; rail freight
operators; and intercity railway infrastructure owners.
ALSTOM's Transport sector, with sales of 5.1 billion in
financial year 2002-2003, is among the world's leading
suppliers to the railway industry.

Press information:
Helen Connolly

Tel. +33 (0)1 41 66 91 43

helen.connolly@transport.alstom.com