OSLO SL18 – the tram for all

Challenge: Better flow and capacity as travel needs increase 

Oslo has undergone considerable growth, a growth that will continue in the years to come. This increases the need for flexible, efficient public transport. and the most popular option among residents is the tram. 
 
The old tram fleet was past its prime, and far from inclusive and flexible. It had stairs, doors only on one side, a narrow central passage and old-fashioned screens. There was also a need to increase passenger capacity. The necessary upgrade to was long overdue.  
 
In 2019, 51 million people travelled by tram in Oslo. The aim of the new tram procurement was 87 new carriage sets with a capacity of up to 100 million travellers. In 2013 the Municipality of Oslo introduced the Tram Programme to improve transport provision in the city. Universal design of the entire tram system was a goal from the beginning, alongside more satisfied customers, a doubling of passengers, as well as reduced overall costs including maintenance. It was equally important that the tram service should be an attractive workplace for all employees.  
 
The new trams also aimed to contribute to positive urban development and to reduce external environmental impact. With favourable aesthetic qualities, they were to be a positive element in the cityscape environment and to contribute to increased mobility.  
 
For big visions to succeed, the correct expertise and approach to the procurement process was required from the start. In collaboration with design managers in Ruter and with hired design expertise from Designit, Sporveien set about realising the plans to optimise public transport and renew the fleet with trams that were efficient, inclusive and attractive to everyone.  

Approach: Exemplary user participation

 Those responsible for the tram procurement agreed early on that they would find good solutions through design-driven innovation methodology and user participation at all stages. It was the start of a formidable task and a project spanning seven years. Input along the way from a wide variety of voices that needed to be heard was important to achieve an optimal result across the board.  
 
The tram procurement team consulted with interest organisations at an early stage, including the Norwegian Association of Disabled People, the Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted, the Norwegian Association of the Deaf, the Norwegian Federation of Organisations of Disabled People (FFO), Little People of Norway (NIK) and the Norwegian Rheumatism Association. They became a natural and necessary part of the procurement and design process and their input along the way was not only important for establishing proposed solutions but also made it easier to make decisions on an ongoing basis or to change direction.  
 
The tram procurement team and the interest organisations collaborated closely over many years. In addition, Oslo's diverse population, including user groups both with and without a need for ergonomic adaptation, was involved in all phases of the tram procurement. This was achieved through, among other things, interviews, observation, testing and surveys, with the aim of ensuring a good tram for everyone. The work resulted in new solutions that define what is a universally designed tram.  
 
The project partners invested in broad internal user participation. These included all Sporveien SMEs as well as employees from all parts of tram operations: drivers, instructors, cleaners, marshalling staff, service technicians and ticket inspectors. The tram is their workplace and field of expertise, and they gave invaluable insights to more efficient operation and maintenance improving their everyday work situation. This led to all parties gaining ownership of the process and supporting the vision of a tram for all.  

Full-scale models to learn and engage 

The new trams aimed to provide an improved user experience, increased capacity and flow. Many decisions had to be made, and the project partners quickly understood that not everything could be determined on the basis of words and drawings.  
 
Thus, from a very early stage the design teams at Designit and Ruter built full-scale cardboard prototypes of parts of the spatial layout.This also gave Sporveien and the management an understanding of the dimensions of the various tram layouts, and really encouraged progress in the project.  

An inclusive design process 

The seven-year project consisted of several phases: preliminary project, tendering and negotiation, design, implementation and verification. Universal design and the idea that the tram should be for everyone was a guiding principle from the very beginning. 
 
Ruter is responsible for the user interface and user experience in Oslo's public transport. Their designers were given a mandate and budget to contribute their expertise to the project and they invested in close collaboration with the design agency Designit from start to finish. The designers brought their valuable skills together and carried out an extensive participation process with particular emphasis on support and commitment from stakeholders, employees and travellers.

Result: A better tram experience for passengers and employees

A year-long process, employing user participation and design methodology as important methods and guidelines, has created a completely new tram experience for travellers in Oslo. The acquisition of the new Oslo trams – the SL18 – has brought life to innovative and inclusive solutions that benefit all passengers and employees. The tram, with its user-friendly design, is now integrated into the cityscape. Thoughtfull solutions, clear visual and auditory signals, clear markings and an orderly interior make it easy for everyone to get an overview, regardless of disability. 
 
It is particularly significant that Sporveien and Ruter have worked holistically in upgrading the tram stops so they too are universally designed and allow smooth interaction with the new trams. This upgrading work is still ongoing. 
 
The two main goals of the project – better capacity and flow and better accessibility – have been achieved in an exemplary manner owing to the goals being viewed in context.

The new trams have brought about a doubling of capacity without doubling the number of trams. The measures that have made the trams more accessible – low floors, no stairs, more doors and more free space – have also increased capacity and reduced the time it takes to get on and off.  
 
The clear focus on inclusive design and user participation right from the start of the procurement process is absolutely innovative for this type of procurement.  

Benefits: Exploited the room for manoeuvre  

Ruter, Sporveien, Designit and CAF have created an iconic new tram with innovative, universally designed solutions. They have achieved this by using the entire room for manoeuvre within requirements for universal design, and further expanding and complementing them.  
 
The minimum requirements for universal design have not been interpreted and followed slavishly; how it is possible to go even further in the direction of a universally designed journey has been constantly investigated. This has been an absolute necessity for there is no separate standard for universal design for trams, as there is for trains 
 
The tram now caters to everyone. By expanding upon and concretising universal design requirements, Oslo's new tram has paved the way for future public transport projects.