en.Wedoany.com Reported - Colas Rail has secured a contract worth approximately €15 million to replace concrete tracks on the Lille metro network in France, with work scheduled between 2026 and 2031.

This contract is part of the overall modernization plan for the Lille metro network, deployed by the Métropole de Lille, covering the period from 2025 to 2031, with the order set to commence in April 2026. The core of the project includes the supply and installation of new concrete tracks in underground sections, repair and improvement of the existing drainage system, and maintenance of track expansion joints on surface sections. Specific works encompass replacing running rails, handling anchoring systems and related infrastructure, repairing track expansion joints, as well as procuring and operating dedicated works trains. All construction will be carried out at night to ensure the metro continues operating without disrupting passengers.

As an early adopter of automated transport systems, the Lille metro uses side-guided rubber-tired vehicles, which demand high reliability and durability from the infrastructure. Colas Rail's team has been working in the track infrastructure sector of the Métropole de Lille for over fifteen years. Julien Biaujaud, Regional Director for France, stated that the project encompasses a series of operations including replacing guide rails, switches, insulators, and tracks, and that the award of this new contract is part of the ongoing renewal of the network's infrastructure, confirming the company's ability to meet the project's technical and economic requirements.

This project will help enhance the performance, safety, and sustainability of the infrastructure, aligning with the modernization and service quality objectives advocated by operator Keolis Lille Ilévia. Through this project, Colas Rail is contributing to the development of efficient, reliable, and sustainable urban transport in Lille.