Bombardier (BBD_B.TO,BBD_A.TO) announced Monday that a consortium comprising its mobility solution provider Bombardier Transportation and France's Alstom has received a new order to supply 204 double-deck M7-type multifunctional coaches to the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Belges or SNCB, the national railway company of Belgium.
The contract is valued at approximately 445 million euros or around $546 million.
The M7 multifunctional cars will be fully accessible autonomously for people with reduced mobility, provide additional space and include an adapted toilet and an intercom system for people in wheelchairs.
The latest order is part of the 2015 framework agreement to supply up to 1,362 M7 cars to SNCB. When signing the contract in 2015, SNCB placed a firm order for 445 double-deck M7 coaches.
The delivery of this first order is now underway. About 40 of these 445 cars will be in service by the end of this year.
The company noted that multifunctional cars for travellers with reduced mobility were also included in the contract. However, these travellers still need assistance, due to the height difference between the boarding gate and the existing Belgian platforms.
SNCB in September 2020 presented a new accessibility policy, which specifies that all platforms must now be 76 cm high and that all new rolling stock must fit this boarding height. This will be the case for these adapted M7 coaches.
Sébastien Ridremont, Head of Sales, Bombardier Transportation, Benelux, said, "The new cars will be accessible to people with reduced mobility and passengers in wheelchairs, as well as being more easily accessible for the elderly, people with children or travellers with bicycles. SNCB wants all passengers to be able to take the train completely autonomously in a comfortable and safe manner..."
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