the EU bank

The European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Union's financing institution, is providing a long-term loan of EUR 250 million to Société des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles (STIB) in support of a vast investment project costing some EUR 565 million and consisting of a range of infrastructure and track upgrading schemes along with the purchase of new rolling stock.

The finance contract was signed on 19 January 2004 by Werner Daem, President, and Alain Flausch, Administrator/Director General of STIB, and the President of the EIB, Philippe Maystadt, in the presence of Jos Chabert, Minister of Public Works and Transport of the Brussels-Capital Region.

The project, which is scheduled for completion and commissioning by the end of 2007, comprises three separate elements:

a) Acquisition of new rolling stock: 15 metro railcars, 27 tramcars (32 m), 19 tramcars with enhanced capacity (43 m), 12 minibuses, 32 articulated buses, 360 single-deck buses.

b) Replacement or extension of track infrastructure. The main works under this programme are as follows:

• Tramline 55: extension of North track section up to NATO and extension of South track section up to Fond de Calevoet.
• Tramline 52: deviation works to integrate Quai des Usines into network.
• Tramline 94: extension of South track section from Boitsfort to Auderghem.
• Tramlines 39/44: extension of East track section from Montgomery to Schuman.
• Tramline 56: deviation works on section of East track to relocate Marius Renard stop.
• Tramline 82: deviation works on section of East track between Chaussée de Ninove, Beekkant, Machtens and Baeck stops.

In addition to these major project components, a number of smaller improvements are planned throughout the network.

c) Replacement, renovation or extension of depot buildings. This component comprises extension and renovation works at eight existing depots intended to house additional rolling stock, along with the upgrading of buildings and equipment for the maintenance of new trams and articulated buses:

• DEMETS (workshops) - general upgrade.
• HAREN (bus depot) - adaptation for articulated bus maintenance and general building upgrade.
• DELTA (combined metro and bus depot) - general upgrade.
• IXELLES (tram depot) - renovation and extension to accommodate new, larger trams.
• SCHAERBEEK (tram depot) renovation and upgrade of depot.
• WOLUWE (maintenance depot) - general upgrade.
• VANDERMEEREN (bus depot) - general upgrade.
• AVENUE DU ROI (tram depot) - general upgrade.

About STIB

As Belgium's foremost urban public transport company, Société des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles operates in 19 districts of the capital of Europe as well as ten other municipalities surrounding the Brussels-Capital Region. It serves an area of 241.5 km² and provides transport for a population of almost 1 100 000 and over 300 000 commuters. Safeguarding quality of life in the city and stabilising car traffic are urban challenges at the heart of the committed transport policy pursued jointly by STIB and its supervisory authority, the Brussels-Capital Region. As a result the number of public transport users has increased by more than 30% in four years, calling for continuous improvement in terms of service frequency and vehicle capacity. The plans for future development of the network to the edges of the region dovetail precisely with the EU objectives of sustainable mobility and environmental protection and improvement.

About the EIB

This EIB operation in support of STIB's investment schemes is in line with the Bank's priority objective of fostering improvement of the quality of life in urban areas. To this end, and for the development of dedicated public transport in particular, EIB loans totalling approximately EUR 9 billion have been provided for urban transport projects in Europe over the past five years. The EIB has contributed to financing inter alia the metro and tramway systems of Athens, Barcelona, Berlin, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, London, Lisbon, Madrid, Prague, Rome and Stockholm.