Padua officials optimistic about unfolding of tram project

The mayor of the city expects approval for funding from European Recovery Plan

Earlier today, 10 May, city officials from the Municipality of Padua held a press conference in order to bring some much-awaited news ahead of time. The Mayor of the city, Sergio Giordani, reported that the proposed extension of the urban tramway network was likely to be approved by Brussels in June for financing through the EU Recovery Plan. This would make the construction of the SIR 2 and SIR 3 lines go ahead and hopefully be completed in the year 2026.

The project would require some 335 million euros

Padua already has one tram line running (known as SIR 1) from the north to the south across the historic centre and the central train station. That station is envisioned as serving as the nerve centre of the proposed network (called SMART – Sistema Metropolitana A Rete Tranviaria).

When completed it will dispose of with 8 colour-coded lines which will allow commuters to go across the city and reach even the most distant terminus points without having to change and transfer between trams. This was possible after careful studying of the passenger flows by experts.

The new system provides for the use of 55 vehicles, which can make up to 450 trips a day and which will allow up to 12,000 people to be moved per hour.
The city will have 8 transport lines, identified by as many colors:

• Pontevigodarzere-Guizza (pink line)
• Rubano-Vigonza (blue line)
• Rubano-San Lazzaro (purple line)
• Voltabarozzo-Vigonza (blue line)
• Voltabarozzo-San Lazzaro (yellow line)
• Pontevigodarzere-Voltabarozzo (orange line)
• Guizza-Vigonza (red line)
• Guizza-San Lazzaro (green line)

SMART will make it possible to reduce the time to enter the city by up to 25%, by connecting the strategic poles of the urban area: hospitals, new police headquarters, historic centre, university buildings, court, railway station and bus station for suburban services.

On Friday 15 January, the feasibility study of the project was presented to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport for approval.