Hanover’s public transport operator, Üstra Hannoversche Verkehrsbetriebe (Üstra), is finally set to put its new light rail fleet into service.
On March 15, the first TW 3000 vehicle will go into passenger service on line 7 – 12 months after it was due to go into service and more than a year after the first unit was delivered by manufacturers Vossloh Kiepe, Alstom and Heiterblick.
The delay has been caused by the discovery of defective welds on 18 of the first 20 vehicles. In December 2014, the manufacturer began remedial works and agreed to bear the cost of repairing the fault.
Üstra currently has three fault-free vehicles, TW 3019, 3020 and 3021, available.
In total, Üstra has ordered 100 TW 3000 units, with an outstanding option for a further 46. The new LRVs will replace Hannover’s 30-year-old TW 6000 fleet.
