Press Releases 2022-05-05
May 14, 2022
Is the Cable Car Making a Comeback in Urban Areas?
The May 14 launch of Téléo, Toulouse’s new cable car, will bring about profound changes to transportation in the “Pink City.” Involved in this extraordinary project from the very beginning, Equans successfully met the energy and electrical challenges posed by this infrastructure.
An in-depth look with Benoît Aubert,
Deputy Director of INEO Occitanie, Equans France
How can we explain the resurgence of cable cars in urban areas such as Toulouse?
A cable car is a mode of transportation consisting of a cabin suspended from a cable. It is indeed more common in mountain resorts. However, this century-old mode of transportation offers significant advantages for accelerating the energy transition and addressing environmental challenges. In Toulouse, the cable car allows passengers to travel over a protected natural area (Natura 2000). As easy to use as a subway ride—thanks to frequent service and high travel speeds—the cable car helps reduce car use for everyday trips. The economic aspect is also a major factor, with a very competitive cost per kilometer. Unlike the metro or tram, there is no need to dig underground tunnels or demolish houses and buildings.
The Toulouse cable car is attracting so much attention because it is the longest urban cable car in France and will connect three major sites in the southwestern part of the “Pink City”: the Oncopole, the Rangueil University Hospital, which handles 210,000 patient visits per year, and Paul Sabatier University with its 30,000 students. Its launch could also trigger a snowball effect in other municipalities or accelerate projects currently under consideration, such as those in Lyon and Bordeaux, for example.
What expertise does EQUANS bring to help ensure Téléo's success?
This cable car is designed to operate in winds of up to 108 km/h. This is the most challenging external factor to consider in the design and construction of this facility. Supported by five support towers, the infrastructure is equipped with a safety system to ensure that, if necessary, the cabins can be returned to one of the three stations, thereby guaranteeing the safety of the 1,500 passengers who will be able to use the system every hour.
High-voltage and low-voltage systems, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and fire safety systems—Equans experts oversaw the construction of the five towers, which are structural and strategic components of the facility. The equipment at the three stations is also a major focus, encompassing building management systems and the cable car’s safety systems. Video surveillance, intrusion alarm, and public address solutions allow passengers to travel with complete peace of mind.
Téléo is one of those major projects that require a high degree of adaptability during implementation, as was the case during the health crisis. Given this level of complexity, the testing and commissioning phase is crucial. Hypervision solutions made it possible to anticipate the final adjustments and tests to ensure the successful delivery of the installation.
This result is also the product of a collaborative effort by a consortium led by POMA, with Bouygues TP as the co-contractor and builder, Séquences as the architectural firm, SETI as the engineering firm, Systra as the designer, and altiservice in charge of maintenance. It is the synergy of these areas of expertise that made Téléo’s success possible.
What lessons can we learn from this, and what does the future hold?
As a global leader in multi-technical services, EQUANS supports its clients in meeting the challenges of the energy, industrial, and digital transitions—challenges that naturally extend to mobility and urban planning. The decarbonization of living environments is driving a reevaluation of urban transportation systems. Cable cars could play an increasingly important role in this context, moving beyond their traditional image as a mountain transportation option. Innovative solutions—particularly in the areas of remote monitoring and safety—are helping to foster a better understanding of this sustainable mode of transportation. The processes and work methods are particularly well-established. The Télo project required 63,000 hours of work, during which no workplace accidents occurred. This is a source of pride for EQUANS, which has made safety an absolute priority.