Tram contract

, the Austrian transport operator, has awarded a €69m (£59m) contract to

for the supply of 23 Flexity Outlook trams.

The Flexity Outlook vehicles, which are also named Cityrunners, have been used in Linz since 2001 and are manufactured at Bombardier’s factories in Vienna, Austria and Bautzen in Germany.

The order will be in addition to the 33 Cityrunners already serving in the city. The Flexity Outlook vehicles are 40m long, 2.3m wide and are able to accommodate 224 passengers.

According to the company, the trams have enhanced passenger comfort due to a combination of 100 per cent low-floor technology and conventional wheel-set bogies.

Grego Peters, president of light rail vehicles at Bombardier Transportation, said: ‘The design of the new vehicle was developed together with Linz and is based on operating experience gained with the existing tram fleet. Linz chose Bombardier once again, which makes us very proud. It shows that the customer is satisfied with our products and marks the continuation of our long-term and successful cooperation.’

Delivery of the first vehicle is planned for the beginning of 2011.