Paris residents asked to choose design features of future metro trains

Residents of the greater Paris area are this month invited to give their opinion on what the "face" of the new metro carriages should look like based on templates proposed by the rail manufacturer Alstom. A project over seen by the French government agency in charge of transport development.

Archive photo of the Paris metro MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP

Ile-de-France-Mobilities and Société de Grand Paris are two organisations calling on people living in the greater Paris area to have their say on what the front of the new metro carriages will look like.

Three designs have been put forward, and citizens can vote online between 10-31 December 2018.

The three proposed "face" designs to be voted by the public, each have a slightly different light display on the front, which will indicate its arrival to passengers who are waiting on the platforms. They have a wide windscreen which allows a panoramic view of the stations and tunnels.

[Consultation ????] Dès aujourd'hui, participez au choix du visage des métros qui circuleront sur les lignes 15, 16 et 17 du #GrandParisExpress… À vous de jouer ! Vous avez trois propositions, rendez-vous sur : https://t.co/Vg2qGwvzgc #TransportsIDF pic.twitter.com/Gp4ARufGvw

  IDF Mobilités (@IDFmobilites) 10 décembre 2018

Metro lines, 16 and 17, part of what is known as the Great Paris Express will be put into partial circulation in 2024 followed by line 15 in 2025.

The contract, entirely financed by Ile-de-France-Mobilités is worth an estimated 1,3 billion euros for Alstom to develop and manufacture up to 1000 carriages (forming 183 trains) which will be deployed in either three or six wagon trains.

Ile-de-France-Mobilités already asked for public participation when voting for the designs of Tramways 9 and 10.

"The reaction was very positive", said the company "so we will continue this approach".

The final design for the inside of the metros is also being discussed, says Ile-de-France-Mobilities. They will be equipped with air conditioning, internet connection, video-protection, USB plugs and information screens.

The project also aims to reduce pollution linked to braking, thanks to better control of low speeds. The energy saved from this can be used to recharge the batteries in the general electrical system.