Load tests are being conducted on Namur’s aerial tramway with a view to its certification, its city council said on Saturday.
Dry-runs were conducted for days on the sky tram, which is scheduled to be inaugurated in May. On Saturday, the carrier basket was loaded with bags of water to simulate the weight they would carry when operational. The tests are scheduled to continue on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in the presence of the institutions responsible for certification.
“The machine is running well; there are only a few finishing touches and adjustments to be done,” said Jean-Charles De Keyser, site manager for the Société du Téléphérique de la Citadelle de Namur, a consortium made up of the Poma construction company, civil engineering firm Franki, and the sky tram’s operator, Labellemontagne.
"The construction of the lower and upper stations is also ongoing,” he added. “The teams will now begin to be trained by someone sent by Poma, who will stay in Namur for six months.”
Namur’s Mayor, Maxime Prévot, said he was "happy to see the sky tram take its place in the Namur landscape.”
“Like many, I’m in a hurry to discover the magnificent views it will offer of the city,” he commented. "The opening is confirmed for the first fortnight in May. Because of the health measures, it will not be possible to seat six persons per carrier basket, but that’s no problem.”
“I’m certain this will be an additional tourist attraction for our city,” the Mayor said. “Once the crisis is behind us, we’ll no doubt have great socio-economic returns from it, including for the heart of the city, which needs that.”
The Brussels Times
