Eurotunnel has ordered three new freight shuttles in a bid to increase capacity on the Channel Tunnel’s rolling motorway.
The new shuttles, which will be fully interoperable with the existing fleet of 15, are scheduled for delivery between the end of 2016 and early 2017.
Eurotunnel has said the new vehicles are essential if the group is to achieve its target of transporting two million track per year by 2020. The new shuttles will allow Eurotunnel to operate eight departures per hour during peak times, compared to the six it currently runs.
WBN Waggonbrau Niesky GmbH, which was awarded the €40 million order, will construct the 800-metre long shuttles. The vehicles include 32 carrying wagons, three loader wagons and a carriage for the drivers.
Michel Boudoussier, chief operating officer, Concession of Groupe Eurotunnel, said: “As the world leader in the rolling motorway industry, Eurotunnel has been able to draw upon its 20 years of experience in the design of these third generation shuttles. The consultation that we led confirmed that we are at the leading edge of railway development.”
