The consortium Spie Sud Est/Yvroud Europeenne des Fluides, Feyzin secured the EUR7.6 million contract for equipment maintenance in the Grand Lyon tunnels, the most important of which are Fourviere (1,850 m), Croix-Rousse (1,750 m), Brotteaux-Servient and Vivier-Merle (336 m). For more, contact Communaute Urbaine de Lyon, fax +33 478 957097, or visit http://marches.grandlyon.com. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=058386-2010. 11/10...

Gähler und Partner AG of Ennetbaden have secured the EUR2.28 million contract for PM designer for safety refurbishment in 1.14 km-long Mosi tunnel on A4, near Brunnen. Contact OFROU, Zofingen, tel +41 6274575-11, fax -90, e-mail beschaffung.zofingen@astra.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062920-2010. 11/10...

IG BP2, c/o Bänziger Partner AG of Zurich, secured the EUR2.63 million contract from BAMO for 5.7 km-long N3 Kerenzer tunnel. Contact OFROU, Winterthour, tel +41 522344-711, fax -790, e-mail winterthur@astra.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062921-2010. 11/10..

Construction contract for Kuechelberg tunnel awarded to PAC SpA consortium, value EUR34,695,272 excluding VAT. More from PAC in Capo di Ponte, tel +39 0364331037, fax +39 036442303, e-mail info@pacspa.it and client APB in Bozen, tel +39 04714125-14, fax –39, e-mail gare-11.5@provincia.bz.it Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=071475-2010. 11/10...

Rete Ferroviaria Italiana SpA is inviting companies to prequalify for civil engineering work on railway tunnels in Italy. Further information and documents from Iacomino Raffaele at Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato in Milan, tel +39 02637 148-19, fax –20, e-mail dns-qs@rfi.it to whom requests to participate should be sent. Visit

Pre-feasibility study being undertaken by ILF Consulting Engineers for construction of single track railway line along the Karakorum highway between the end of the existing railway network in the south at Havelian and the border between Pakistan and China near the famous Khunjrab Pass in the north.

Prequalification underway by MTR for tender reference no 703 for West Island Line SHW to SYP tunnels value EUR30 million with a view to selective invitations to tender being issued in 4Q/2008 for contract award in 3Q/2009. Expressions of interest to Malcolm O’Neill, tel 3921 3383, e-mail moneill@mtr.com.hk Visit www.mtr.com.hk/eng/tenders/new_projects.html 45/08.

Lausanne has inaugurated its new underground railway, the first Swiss metro and the world's first automated driverless system able to cope with the city's slopes. On 18th September, transport minister Moritz Leuenberger cut the official ribbon and tested the 6 km north-south line, called the M2. The new metro cost CHF740 million, jointly financed by the Swiss government (12%), the Vaud canton (71%) and the city of Lausanne (17%). It is expected to be used by some 25 million passengers a year.

The new metro has captured local people's imagination and Lausanne has gone to town to celebrate the long-awaited inauguration, organising a huge music festival and letting the public try out the M2 over a four-day period. But the party has been slightly soured by the fact that owing to technical hiccups the new line will only be properly open from 27th October.

The new line is described as the backbone of the city's transport system. With its 14 stations, the metro will improve mobility from the top of the city to the bottom between areas that have strong business activity or are well populated. Trains climb from the crystal-blue lake waters at Ouchy (373 m) to the woody hills above the city near Epalinges (711 m) in just 20 minutes, slashing the previous journey time by half. The metro climbs slopes with an average 5.7% gradient, with the steepest parts at 12%, a world first. Existing technologies have had to be adapted to cope with Lausanne's hills, with grooved tracks to help improve adhesion and sophisticated braking systems.

Building the underground has been a major feat of engineering. In all, eight new tunnels had to be dug, excavating 350,000 cubic metres of earth. Construction work started on 17th June, 2004 and the last tunnel was bored on 28th July, 2006.  Click here and here and ch/36

The tunnelling led to some unwelcome surprises, however. On 22nd February, 2005, a 10 m hole suddenly appeared at Place Saint-Laurent. The tunnelling team had pierced an underground lake which had caused the ground to subside.

The M2 was born out of the need to replace the "Ficelle", Europe's first cable funicular railway linking the city centre and the lake opened 130 years ago. But Lausanne is growing in the southwest and the city is mainly growing in an east-west direction, in particular towards the west around the federal institute of technology. There are plans to continue to develop the transport system with an M3 and M4. A project for an east-west tramline is also under consideration. Visit www.t-l.ch/m2 39/08.

A metro train at the Ours station