The Zhuhai tram network was a light rail system serving the city of Zhuhai, Guangdong, China. The first section of Line 1 started trial operation on November 7, 2014 with the full line scheduled initially to open by August 2015[2] and finally opened on 13 June 2017 and runs from Haitian Gardens to Shangchong. However, facing the problems of frequent breakdowns and low passenger flow,[3] the operation of Zhuhai Tram Line 1 was never carried out smoothly and the Government decided to stop its operation in January 2021[3] and then to dismantle it in May 2024.[4]
| Zhuhai Tram | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
 | |||
| Overview | |||
| Locale | Zhuhai, China | ||
| Transit type | Light rail | ||
| Number of lines | 1 (service suspended) 2 (planned) | ||
| Number of stations | Line 1, Phase 1: 14 Line 2, Phase 2: 25 | ||
| Daily ridership | N/A | ||
| Website | zhmrt | ||
| Operation | |||
| Operator(s) | Zhuhai Urban Transportation Co., Ltd. | ||
| Technical | |||
| System length | Line 1, Phase 1: 8.98 km (5.58 mi)[1] Line 1, Phase 2: 19 km (12 mi) | ||
| |||
| Zhuhai Tram | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 珠海有轨电车 | ||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 珠海有軌電車 | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
A three-line network was planned. Line 1 uses AnsaldoBreda's Sirio trams,[5] license built at CRRC Dalian and was also the first Chinese tram system that uses Ansaldo's catenary-free TramWave electrification system.[6][7] If completed, it would have connected central Zhuhai to Zhuhai Railway Station and the Gongbei Port of Entry to Macau.[8]
Service on the line has been suspended since January 22, 2021 due to low ridership and high operating costs. It is reported that the tram will be dismantled. On May 31, the tram committee voted 15 to 1 to demolish the tram line, due to low operational reliability, high operational cost, lack of services and low passenger levels.[1][9] The TramWave technology was especially problematic and despite 11 different modifications to the power supply, it has remained problematic, with accidents related to the power supply system happening on average 0.13 times for every thousand kilometer travelled by all trams combined,[10] and has risen higher every year, with a failure rate of 0.05 in 2017.[6] The power supply was especially vulnerable to rainwater, causing short circuits and electricity leakage.[6]
Despite the demolition being listed as a priority for the city in 2021, the tram line still remained in place. Related infrastructure, such as the signals, ticket machines and platforms all remained in original condition, albeit some had rusted in the three years after service was suspended. When asked by China Business Journal about the plans for the line, the transport department of Zhuhai replied that the question was sensitive and had no comment. CRRC Dalian opposed the closure and had entered talks with the city on restarting the tram network.[11]
On May 7, 2024, the government officially announced the dismantling of tram Line 1 and the restoration of normal road paving. Demolition work began on May 10 and is expected to be completed within one month.[12][13]
References
edit- ^ a b "珠海有轨电车处置折射城市交通规划困境：大量新交通方式出现 增加规划复杂性". June 6, 2021.
- ^ "Zhuhai tramway starts trial operation - Railway Gazette". www.railwaygazette.com. Archived from the original on November 20, 2014.
- ^ a b 陳進安 (January 5, 2022). "故障頻發、客流量少 珠海有軌電車1號線料今年初拆除". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ "官宣！珠海有轨电车1号线终止运营！梅华路将新增2条车道". m.mp.oeeee.com. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ "AnsaldoBreda delivers first Sirio tram to Zhuhai". October 10, 2014.
- ^ a b c "珠海召开有轨电车听证会15:1支持拆除 供应商中车大连未参加-要闻-经济-中国经营网" [Zhuhai hold meeting over light rail; 15 to 1 support its destruction; supplier of the vehicles, CRRC Dalian did not partake in the discussion]. www.cb.com.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved July 4, 2021.
- ^ "Catenary-free technology for Chinese light rail project". November 6, 2013.
- ^ "有轨电车1号线规划-珠海新闻网". Archived from the original on November 1, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
- ^ "珠海有轨电车停运许久 话题仍不断 到底是否该拆除?_运营". www.sohu.com (in Chinese). Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ 网易 (June 6, 2021). "几十亿建设的有轨电车，为何仅3年就被提议拆除？故障频发花费大". www.163.com. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
- ^ 路, 炳阳; 孙, 丽朝 (January 15, 2024). "珠海有轨电车：一道揭不掉的城市"伤疤"". China Business Journal (A03 ed.).
- ^ 杨亮 (May 7, 2024). "官宣！珠海有轨电车1号线终止运营！梅华路将新增2条车道". 南方都市报. Archived from the original on May 7, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ^ "建成不到7年的珠海有轨电车被拆除，此前已停运3年". 极目新闻. May 11, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
 | This tram-, streetcar-, or light rail-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |