TORG are pleased to announce an additional Wednesday lunchtime seminar this week.

***Please note that the venue for this particular seminar is not in the usual location of the Cassie Building. It is instead taking place in the Stevenson Building, which is directly opposite the main entrance of the Cassie Building.***

"Light Rail in France - The Current Scene"
Graham Jellett, MA,MSc,CDipAF,CEng,FCILT,MICE,MCIHT
Newcastle Area Officer, Light Rail Transit Association
About the seminar:
In every year since the mid-1980s France has always had in service more than double the number of metros and tramways concurrently running in the UK. France now has nearly three times the ten light rail systems currently running in the UK. The 29 urban light rail systems France now has comprise 6 metros and 23 tramways. Of the tramways, 19 are conventional steel wheel on steel rail tramways, one is a tram-train in Paris and 3 are rubber-tyred central rail guided “tramways”.
From 1992 onwards Graham has, as an ordinary farepaying passenger visited all of these systems, (except one), at least once; and 27 of these systems between two and seven times. Moreover he has travelled on most of the present route network of over 600 kilometres, (this figure excludes the Paris Metro), the exceptions being short extensions to existing tramways and Toulouse Tramway inaugurated in December 2010.
This paper contains numerical and technical data and associated information, already in the public domain, relating to all French light rail systems currently operating. The original presentation was given in Gateshead Civic Centre in January 1998 when only 14 such systems existed. As a consequence over the past 13 years the content has been updated frequently as new systems, extensions to existing systems and more rolling stock have come into service, ticket prices have changed and smartcards have been introduced on most systems. With slides showing metrocars and trams in use on all systems, (except Paris Metro and Toulouse Tramway), many features of these systems are shown including service frequency, fares, station spacing, passenger capacity, car and tram seating layout, manufacturers, liveries, ticketing including smart ticketing, disabled access and other aspects. Public funding of the systems and financial matters, including the payroll tax for public transport purposes, are also discussed.

About the presenter:



After graduating from Cambridge University and training under agreement with Gifford and Partners of Southampton, Graham Jellett worked from 1962-80 for four civil engineering contractors including 11 years with Tarmac (now Carillion) and four years with Parkinsons (now part of AMEC). During this time he worked on site on construction of the M1, M4, M6 and M66 Motorways, a reservoir in North Wales, a coal-fired power station near Edinburgh, concrete ponds at Windscale in Cumbria, flyash lagoons at Peterborough and latterly in Tarmac's Head Office in Wolverhampton.



In 1980-81 he pursued a full time course at Birmingham University for an MSc in Transportation and Traffic Planning before moving to Tyneside in 1982 and into Local Government, where he worked as a Project Engineer first for Tyne and Wear County Council until its abolition in 1986, then Sunderland Borough Council and from 1990-97 for Newcastle City Council. For the Institution of Civil Engineers he served as a General Member of Council 1974-77, on Midlands Association Committee 1974-80 and on the QUEST Scholarship Committee 1978-87. After a year’s evening study in 1987-88 at the then Newcastle Polytechnic and following external examinations he gained a Certified Diploma in Accounting and Finance. From 2000 to 2006 he was Treasurer of the Institution of Civil Engineers Northern Counties Association. Currently he is Treasurer of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, North East Region and of the Tyne and Wear Public Transport Users Group.



His study of France’s light rail systems has been pursued predominantly since retirement  from full time employment. This has led to him speaking over 100 times to date to audiences comprising variously transport professionals and engineers, enthusiasts and transport students throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

Seminar Location:
Please join us on Wednesday 04/05/2011 between 13.00-15:00 in Room F1 (1.01), 1st Floor, Stevenson Building, Claremont Road, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU. This is directly opposite the Cassie Building.

Go in the main door to the Stevenson Building
Turn left and proceed to the doors at the end of the corridor
Go up the stairs immediately in front, to the first floor (which is actually the second floor up, as there is also a mezzanine floor)
Room F1 (1.01) is immediately to the left as your reach the first floor landing.

The Stevenson Building is building number 50 on the Campus Map<http://www.ncl.ac.uk/about/visit/printablemaps/map-campus.htm> and is about a 5-10 minute walk from Haymarket metro/bus interchange or Jesmond metro station, both of which are easily accessible from Newcastle Central station or Newcastle International Airport.  Car parking in and around the University campus is limited, but Park and Ride options are available from seven metro stations within Newcastle – please see the Nexus website Metro Map<http://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/nexus.org.uk/files/images/metro/Metro_Map_3rd_A4.jpg> for more details.

Further information:

The TORG seminars are intended to disseminate ongoing research and encourage detailed discussions of a diverse range of transport topics in an informal environment - for further information on a specific seminar, please contact Dr. Dilum Dissanayake<mailto:[log in to unmask]> or Dr. Gareth Evans<mailto:[log in to unmask]>. The TORG seminars are part of a wider programme within the School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences<http://www.ceg.ncl.ac.uk/> all of which are free of charge and open for external guests to attend. Please let Miss Emma Simblett<mailto:[log in to unmask]> know if you wish to attend a TORG seminar to allow names of external guests to be noted. After the seminar, and where suitable content is available, we try to make the presentations available online<http://www.ceg.ncl.ac.uk/seminars/index.htm>, subject to our presenters giving their permission for us to do so.

We look forward to seeing you.