Serious technical shortcomings have been noticed in Helsinki’s new low-carriage trams. A number of the vehicles are standing idle, awaiting repairs. Originally all of the new trams were to have been operational at the end of last year.
The undercarriages that contain the engines and brakes have proven to be vulnerable to Finnish winter conditions and shifts in temperature.
In addition to the technical difficulties related to the bogies, problems have emerged with the automatic temperature control. Bombardier, the manufacturer of the trams, has had to replace hundreds of parts.
Helsinki City Transport (HKL) has received a total of 40 new trams from the manufacturer Bombardier at a price of EUR 67 million. However, HKL has paid for only the 16 of the vehicles which passed the technical inspection, and which have been taken into use. The City is not paying for the rest until it has been ascertained that they are in good condition.
Helsinki and Bombardier are sorting out details involving the repair of the faulty trams as part of the guarantee contained in the purchase contract.
The manufacturer is required to pay for the costs of the storage and repair of the trams that have not been taken into use.
A bigger problem than the money involves the requirements of normal traffic. HKL has not been able to phase out its old fleet of trams on schedule. Also, the unused trams are taking up badly-needed space at the HKL tram depot in Koskela.
