In mid-December this year, the Câble C1, the first urban cable car in the Île-de-France agglomeration and also the longest system of its kind in Europe, was launched in the Paris region. The 4.5-kilometre route connects Créteil to Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, running over four communes in the Val-de-Marne department. The project was designed as a response to the long-standing traffic problems of the south-eastern suburbs of Paris, where dense housing and other barriers effectively restricted the development of traditional transport infrastructure.
Câble C1 – faster than by bus
The new railway radically reduces travel times between the extremities of the route. The journey, which previously took around 40 minutes by bus, now takes less than 18 minutes. The line serves five stations, including the Pointe du Lac in Créteil, where it is possible to transfer directly to metro line 8. Other stops provide connections to local bus lines, allowing the Câble C1 to be fully integrated into the region’s public transport system.
Cabs for daily use
At the heart of the entire system is a fleet of 105 all-electric cabs, designed for daily use in the city. Each can take up to 10 passengers and offers full accessibility for people with reduced mobility, as well as space for pushchairs and bicycles. During peak hours, the booths run at a frequency of less than 30 seconds, enabling thousands of passengers to be served efficiently. It is estimated that around 11,000 people a day will use the railway.
Câble C1 as a laboratory for future technologies
The Câble C1 also acts as a European testing ground for the C1 Plus technology, which is expected to enable future route extensions and increased capacity for urban cable cars. The system combines the features of a classic cable car with solutions familiar from mass transport, offering stability, quiet operation and relatively low operating costs. The regional authorities point out that this form of passenger transport makes it possible to bypass various constraints without the need for costly tunnel construction.
Safety above all
The design of the Câble C1 takes into account advanced safety procedures and the impact of weather conditions. A system of monitoring and weather sensors allows traffic parameters to be adjusted on the fly in the event of strong winds or other adverse conditions. If necessary, the speed of the cabins can be reduced or their traffic temporarily halted to ensure the safety of passengers all year round and in all conditions.
Cable car as part of the city
The Câble C1 is a milestone in the European trend of seeking alternative, low-emission forms of urban transport. Paris thus joins the cities that are treating cable cars as a fully-fledged part of their everyday mobility infrastructure. The future of transport in metropolises can develop not only on and under the ground, but also above it.
Source: sortiraparis.com
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