| Project name: | Reutilization of two old platforms to create a new one. |
| City: | Lens, France. |
| Location: | Place du Général de Gaulle. |
| Installation date: | Novembre 2021. |
During the last quarter of 2021, the works in the vicinity of the Lens railway station caused the closure of several terminals of the TADAO bus lines for two years. Since these stops were essential to provide service to the station, it was necessary to guarantee the best possible accessibility conditions for users.
Need and objectives of the project.
Due to many passengers passing through the SNCF train station every day, it was necessary to foresee the creation of a large bus stop capable of serving several bus lines. The duration of the works, too long to not guarantee accessibility to users and too short of creating rigid infrastructures, required finding a lasting solution that could be uninstalled after two years of use.
A few years ago, the TADAO network already used a Vectorial® system platform, fully satisfying the transport entity SMTC Artois Gohelle. Once the construction works were finished, they stored the platform for later use.
The Lens station had to accommodate several bus lines at that stop, for which the dimensions of this platform needed to be larger. For this reason, the transport manager wanted to acquire a second platform to expand the existing one. They contacted Grand Reims, where several platforms had been installed and removed throughout 2020, moved several of the parts to Lens, and were able to install a platform with the required dimensions.
Proposed solution.
By joining the two platforms, it was possible to create a new bus platform 31 m long and 2.65 m wide, allowing simultaneous access for several buses. The platform was installed in the center of the Place du Général de Gaulle, where there was no sidewalk, so a metal ramp made access. Thanks to its large dimensions, it could also be used as a waiting area for passengers, so the network managers wanted to install shelters on the platform. The company in charge of the installation was Urbanéo, which also installed two shelters fully integrated into the Vectorial® system platform.
This global project highlights two of the most specific characteristics of our Vectorial® system:
- Its ease of installation and disassembly allows the platforms to be easily uninstalled and stored in a warehouse until a new need arises.
- The modular nature allows different configurations to be created on each occasion, adapting to the dimensions of each location or its specificities, such as the presence or absence of a sidewalk. This reversible solution is an excellent advantage over rigid platforms that cannot be modified once created.
Another peculiarity is the possibility of replacing the elements of the Vectorial® system independently of each other. Also, in Lens, SMTC Artois Gohelle decided to keep two different colors on the curb (yellow and white) to identify two areas of the stop. But it would also have been possible to make the color more uniform by replacing only the yellow curbs, for example. All the platform elements can be replaced individually, without forgetting that they are made of 100% recycled plastic and are also fully recyclable.
