It’s a first in Flanders – manganese strips are being placed in a stretch of tram tracks in Ghent to tackle the deafening squeal emitted by passing trams
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Special strips placed in tram tracks in Ghent to reduce noise nuisance
Lisa Bradshaw
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A specialised firm from Germany has arrived in Ghent to install manganese strips in a stretch of tram tracks. Made of manganese steel, the strips are placed inside tram tracks to reduce noise, especially in curves.
It is indeed a curve in the track in Ghent’s Bernard Spaelaan that is causing a great deal of noise, which, according to local residents, has gotten much worse with the onset of larger, heavier tram cars. Besides the rumble, the trams cause a deafening squeal as they head around the bend.
Residents have been complaining to De Lijn for years about the noise pollution caused by the trams, the frequency of which has also increased. Three lines run along the route in Bernard Spaelaan, totalling 700 passes a day, including later at night than previously was the case.
Claiming their concerns fell on deaf ears, three residents took their complaints to court. The judge agreed, ordering De Lijn to seek a solution.
We represent many more people in the neighbourhood who are more than tired of this ongoing noise nuisance.
Adelbrecht Haenebalcke
“We are glad that De Lijn recognises the problem,” said resident Adelbrecht Haenebalcke last autumn following the judgement. “We represent many more people in the neighbourhood who are more than tired of this ongoing noise nuisance. We tried everything over the last few years, but nothing helped.”
The manganese strips should help, according to De Lijn, which has arranged for the works to be carried out at night so there’s no interruption to public transport service. “This approach has worked well in the Netherlands and in German cities,” says Frederik Wittock of De Lijn. “We looked into the situation here, and have determined that the strips should work in our tracks as well.”
It’s the first time that the method is being tested in Flanders. If it’s successful, it could be rolled out in other parts of Ghent, in Antwerp and for the coast tram – but the price is steep. The labour and material required to lay a mere 150 meters of manganese strips is €100,000. And they will only last about six years before needing replaced.
“In this particular case, the manganese strips appear to be the best option, but that might not be the same everywhere,” says Wittock. “The causes of the problem can vary widely. Here, it involves a bend. Ghent also has quite narrow streets. On the coast, we see straight and wider tram routes, and there is often a bit more space in Antwerp as well.”
De Lijn wants “to find tailor-made solutions,” he says, and has appointed a working group to map out all options.
As for Ghent, the area residents are hopeful that the strips will solve the problem. If they do not, however, they have said that they will not hesitate to continue their fight in the courts.