ALSTOM presented the first metro train for the Indian city of Lucknow to Mr Yasar Shah, Uttar Pradesh commercial taxes minister, in a ceremony at its plant in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, on November 4.

THE executive board of Helsinki City Transport (HKL) decided at a meeting on November 1 to exercise an option with Škoda Transportation’s Finnish subsidiary Transtech for 29 Artic low-floor LRVs for the Raide-Jokeri light rail line between Helsinki and the neighbouring city of Espoo.

TORONTO and Hamilton transit authority Metrolinx confirmed on November 3 that it has filed a notice of intent to terminate a contract worth up to $C 770m ($US 574.2m) for up to 182 Flexity Freedom LRVs.

THE future of tram operations in the German city of Gotha appears assured after a proposal to replace the network with buses was rejected by the Thuringia state government on economic grounds.

NORWEGIAN infrastructure manager Jernbaneverket is evaluating the use of synthetic sleepers on bridges and in tunnels as an alternative to traditional creosoted-wood sleepers.

SINGAPORE Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on November 4 that it will launch a limited tender in the first quarter of next year for a contract to operate the Thomson East Coast Line (TEL), and - uniquely for a Singaporean rail project - the government will bear revenue risk on operations.

BRITAIN’s Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed on November 4 that services on the initial London - Birmingham phase of High Speed 2 (HS2) will be included in the forthcoming Inter City West Coast (ICWC) franchise, which is due to start in 2019.

DANISH infrastructure manager Banedanmark marked the start of tracklaying on the Copenhagen - Køge - Ringsted high-speed line on October 28, when the first 10 sleepers were lowered into position by Denmark’s transport minister Mr Hans-Christian Schmidt.

SWISS Federal Railways (SBB) has exercised an option worth SFr 32m ($US 32.8m) for three more LRZ 18 firefighting, rescue and recovery trains, it was announced on November 3.

SWEDISH infrastructure manager Trafikverket confirmed on November 3 that the SKr 16.8bn ($US 1.88bn) Stockholm City Line will open at 05.00 on July 10 2017, doubling main line rail capacity through the centre of the city.