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Thales will supply and integrate rail signalling, telecommunications, videosurveillance, passenger information, traffic priority and traffic control & supervision systems. To ensure maximum security, the rail signalling systems will incorporate Automatic Train Stop capability.

Thales will be working with two partners to deliver the project. The first is YIT, a Scandinavian company that is already involved in several projects with the Bergen authorities. YIT will be responsible for supplying telecommunications infrastructure and for on-site commissioning. The second is Hanning & Kahl of Germany, a leader in signalling equipment dedicated to light rail systems. Thales will contribute its end-to-end engineering and mission critical systems integration expertise for transportation and security applications.

Thales has an established presence in Norway. Leveraging its worldwide experience of light rail systems to win the contract, including the Croydon Tramlink in the United Kingdom for which the company has supplied solutions for the past ten years, and other tram networks in Dublin, Marseille, Nantes, Palermo and Florence. In addition, Thales was recently awarded the contract for the extension of Manchester's Metrolink light railway.

"This large-scale project represents a significant step forward in the development of our city's transport networks. We are glad to have Thales in to our team of well- skilled suppliers, and we are sure that together we can secure a functional transport system in the city of Bergen. Thales has along with their partners a strong experience and products well-fitted for light rail systems, and we have expectations of a good partnership in order to develop Bybanen as an even better system." said Ole W. Mortensen, project manager of the City of Bergen.

"We are proud to have won this contract ahead of extremely fierce competition from several top-tier suppliers. It was a long and challenging process," added Jean-Marc Gardin, Managing Director, Thales Transportation Systems. "Light rail systems are a strategic business for Thales and our experience in both the urban transport and main line rail markets puts us in a very strong position in this sector."

About Thales
Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group, addressing defence, aerospace and security markets worldwide. Thales's leading-edge technology is supported by 22,000 R&D engineers who offer a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy field-proven mission-critical information systems. To this end, the group's civil and military businesses develop in parallel and share a common base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and nations. The group builds its growth on its unique multi-domestic strategy based on trusted partnerships with national customers and market players, while leveraging its global expertise to support local technology and industrial development. Thales employs 68,000 people in 50 countries with 2007 revenues of €12.3 billion.

Thales's transportation systems business specialises in the deployment of intelligent, high value-added solutions for the public transport market. Activities include ticketing, supervision and control, communication and security systems, fleet management and passenger information systems. The company is also a major player in rail signalling, with leadership positions in the world market for electronic interlocking and command & control solutions.

Press contacts

Thales
Security Solutions & Services
Victoire Le Barazer
Tel. +33 1 73 32 13 20
victoire.lebarazer@thalesgroup.com

Thales, Corporate Communications
Caroline Philips
Tel. +33 1 57 77 86 26
caroline.philips@thalesgroup.com