Barcelona transport authority ATM has awarded Alstom a contract to supply its APS ground-level power supply for the first phase of the project to connect the city’s Trambaix and Trambesos tram networks.

The currently separate networks are to be linked by building a 3∙9 km line along Avenida Diagonal, with six stops.

The contract for the first phase, which was announced on July 27, includes APS infrastructure and retrofitting 18 Citadis trams from the current fleet.

The APS technology which avoids the need for overhead electrification is currently in operation in 11 cities on four continents, with 362 trams and 145 km of track in commercial service.