Denmark’s infrastructure manager Banedanmark has announced that a joint venture between Siemens and contractor Per Aarsleff has been chosen as the preferred bidder for the first phase of the country’s electrification programme.
Banedanmark plans to electrify 1,300 kilometres of main line railway by 2026.
The Aarsleff-Siemens joint venture will complete the first 57-kilometre section between Esbjerg and Lunderskov by mid 2016, followed by Køge Nord-Næstved, Ringsted-Rødby and Copenhagen-Ringsted.
Banedanmark will now enter a final round of negotiations with the joint venture. Judging criteria for the contract considered cost, the technical solution involved and the possible impact on passengers.
The contract includes options to electrify additional lines. Funding has also been identified through the Togfonden financial arrangement for the Fredericia-Aalborg, Aalborg-Frederikshavn, Vejle-Struer and Roskilde-Kalundborg lines.
Jesper Hansen, chief executive of Banedanmark, said: “With electric trains, we can create a more flexible and efficient rail operations for passenger and freight transport, while we take greater account of the environment.”
Looks like those tractors took a wrong turn at an unmanned crossing!