SINGAPORE's Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded contracts worth a total of $S 1.15bn ($US 915.8m) for the Thomson and Eastern Region metro projects, including a $S 159m contract to GE Transportation for a fully automated and driverless communications-based train control (CBTC) system.

THE board of Adif, Spain's infrastructure manager, has placed a €54m contract with Siemens Rail Automation and Thales to equip the Pajares bypass with Spain's Asfa ATP system, ERTMS and associated signalling and telecommunications equipment.

SPAIN's infrastructure manager Adif has awarded a €410m contract to Alstom to install ERTMS Level 2 signalling on 310km of high-speed line in northern Spain and to maintain the equipment for 20 years.

THE Dutch cabinet has approved a €2.5bn budget to install ERTMS on all trains by 2022 and on the busiest sections of the national rail network by 2030.

THE German Rail Industry Association (VDB) says sales of railway equipment increased by 42% in 2013 to a new record of €14.9bn compared with weak performance in 2012.

TURKISH State Railways (TCDD) has awarded a €10m contract to Thales to modernise the signalling and telecommunications at Eskisehir station.

THE main line linking London, Plymouth and Penzance reopened today following repairs costing £35m to damage caused by major storms in February to the coastal section at Dawlish between Exeter and Plymouth.

ZAMBIA Railways Limited (ZRL) has selected a consortium of Bombardier, Huawei and local contractor GMC Technologies in a $US 51m contract to supply and install ERTMS Regional on the 980km Chingola - Livingstone line.

THE first three lines of the 12-line Moscow Metro are now equipped with free-to-use WiFi, and the entire 325.5km 194 station network should be fully fitted by September.