Île-de-France tramway Line 9

Île-de-France tramway Line 9 (usually called simply T9 and formerly known as Tramway Porte de Choisy - Orly Ville or TPO) is a tram line currently under construction which will eventually become part of the modern tram network of the Île-de-France region of France. Line T9 will connect Porte de Choisy Paris Métro station and the centre of Orly (Place Gaston Viens) serving suburbs in the south-east of Paris.[2] Line T9 will not serve Orly Airport though. The line will have a length of approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) and 19 stations.[2] Opening of the line to the public had been scheduled for late 2020,[1] and is currently due to start in spring 2021.[3][4]

Tramway T9
Overview
Status	Under construction
Termini	2020 (planned)[1]
Stations	19[2]
Service
Type	Tram
System	Tramways in Île-de-France
Operator(s)	Keolis
Rolling stock	24[1]
History
Opened	1
Technical
Line length	10.3[2] km (6.4 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in)
Stations Template:Île-de-France tramway Line 9

Route

Schematic map of Line T9

Project objectives

The main goal of the project is to desaturate existing transit lines, and in particular RATP bus route 183 (Porte de Choisy - Aéroport d'Orly Terminal Sud) which became the second busiest bus route in the Île-de-France region after route TVM, and to propose a public transport offer with more capacity, better performance, more regularity and more comfort, thanks to the adoption of a tramway.[5] Additional project objectives are to accompany the evolution and development of a fast-changing suburban environment, the encouragement of sustainable mobility, better links between existing transit infrastructures and the refiguration of roads and public spaces (introduction of bike lines along the tram alignment, more accessible walking paths, etc.).[5]

Future tram line 9 will offer connections to line T3a and Paris Métro Line 7 at Porte de Choisy Paris Métro station, with RER C at Choisy-le-Roi station and, at Orly, at Les Saules station, with Paris Métro line 15, part of the Grand Paris Express, at Vitry Centre, and with various bus routes including routes TVM and 393 at Choisy-le-Roi.

Operation

Contract

The line is the Île-de-France tram network's first line which will not be directly awarded for management to either RATP or SNCF.[6][7] The line's operations and maintenance contract is subject to competitive tendering by Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM). In May 2018, IDFM issued a concession notice for operations and maintenance of line T9 including seven bus lines of the local "Bord de l'Eau" bus network for a period of 66 months (i.e. for only 5 years and a half), calling for potential candidates to submit a request for qualification.[8] IDFM allowed four candidates to bid: RATP Dev, Keolis, Transdev and outsider Moventia of Spain.[9] On June 14, 2019 IDFM announces that Keolis is the preferred bidder for T9 and the "Bord de l'Eau" bus network.[10] The choice of Keolis is confirmed by IDFM on July 2nd, 2019.[11]

Notes and references

1. "Objectif 2020 pour le T9, le second tramway du Val-de-Marne" (in French). 16 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
2. Île-de-France Mobilités. "Fiche projet : Tram 9 Porte de Choisy > Orly-Gaston Viens" (pdf) (in French). Retrieved 30 January 2019.
3. "T9 : ouverture repoussée au printemps 2021 - transportparis - Le webmagazine des transports parisiens". transportparis.canalblog.com (in French). 2 August 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
4. "Page accueil". Tram 9 (in French). Retrieved 30 January 2021.
5. Île-de-France Mobilités. "Tram 9 Paris > Orly Ville - Découvrir le projet" (in French). Retrieved 31 January 2019.
6. lejournaldugrandparis.fr (4 April 2017). "Transdev et Keolis à l'assaut des transports du Grand Paris" (in French). Archived from the original on 2018-05-26. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
7. "La RATP en concurrence pour remporter l'exploitation du T9" (in French). 4 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
8. "2018/S 092-209815 - Avis de concession". ted.europa.eu (in French). 16 May 2018. Archived from the original on 2019-01-25. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
9. "4 candidats pour exploiter T9 et 7 lignes de bus" (in French). 3 October 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-10-31. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
10. "Tram T9. Keolis premier vainqueur de la concurrence en Ile-de-France". Ville, Rail et Transports (in French). 2019-06-14. Retrieved 2019-06-14.
11. "Déliberation - 2019/215 : Attribution du contrat de DSP Tram 9 – Bord de l'Eau" (PDF) (in French). 2019-07-02. Retrieved 2019-07-23.