A French project to develop a concept for freight operations on light rail networks reached a milestone on the morning of June 13, when a tram was used to deliver merchandise to a retailer in St Etienne.
The trial delivery to the Casino store in Place Carnot was organised as part of the TramFret project, an initiative led by research and development institute Efficacity, which is being supported by St Etienne public transport operator Stas.
Special authorisation was granted for the trial by STRMTG, the national agency responsible for tramway safety.
TramFret says the trial will enable it to optimise the system, begin industrial development of the concept, and study its sustainability.
If the first phase of the trial is successful further testing will be carried out in St Etienne in the coming weeks.