In February, the French city of Brest inaugurated a second tram line and a new bus rapid transit (BRT) system, designed by Systra France, marking a new stage in the development of urban mobility in the Brittany region.
The Bibus public transport network is thus expanding with two new routes: tram line B and Bus Rapid Transit line D. The project, called “My network is expanding,” was coordinated by Brest métropole aménagement (BMa), as the contracting authority, and implemented by the Mobi-Brest consortium, led by Systra France, alongside SCE, B3i, LA/BA, Super8, and Ferrand-Sigal.
Approximately 10 kilometers of new infrastructure
The project, awarded in 2021, aims to improve public transport for the approximately 215,000 inhabitants of the Brest metropolitan area by building around 10 kilometers of new lines.
The new tram line B connects the SNCF train station to the Cavale Blanche University Hospital, serving the Bellevue neighborhood—the most populated area of the city—as well as two campuses of the University of Western Brittany (UBO). The line connects in the city center with line A, which opened in 2012.
The BRT-type line D also starts from the station area and reaches the Lambézellec district, which is undergoing urban regeneration. The route includes redesigned boulevards and important segments on dedicated lanes to ensure high frequency and regularity. The service is operated with electric buses.
The two new lines are designed to carry over 3.5 million passengers annually, complementing line A, which carries over 12 million passengers per year.
Decarbonized mobility and multimodal infrastructure
In addition to the new public transport routes, the project included the construction of 12 kilometers of bike lanes and the development of new multimodal hubs in the metropolitan area. Authorities estimate that these investments will contribute to a sustainable reduction in traffic-related pollution.
“The Brest network is a relevant example of how a metropolitan area is transforming its mobility and committing to a change in transport use. I would like to thank all the Systra teams who have contributed to this project over the last five years and made it a success,” said Matthieu Pouchard, project manager in the urban division of Systra France.
Four major engineering structures
A central element of the project was the construction of four complex engineering structures.
Systra’s civil engineering specialists played a key role in the design and construction of the Francis-le-Blé and Touillic-ar-Ran bridges, dedicated to trams, pedestrians, and cyclists, as well as in the widening of the Clemenceau and Villeneuve bridges, where the tram platform runs parallel to the road lanes.
The expansion of the network consolidates Brest’s position as a model for urban mobility transformation in medium-sized European cities, through the integration of electric transport, bicycle infrastructure, and multimodal solutions.
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