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Wednesday, October 15, setec opency and setec its took part in the inauguration of the Saint-Priest Tramway Control Center (PCT), attended by Bruno Bernard, President of the Lyon Metropolitan Area and of SYTRAL Mobilités, and Vincent Monot, Vice-President of SYTRAL Mobilités. Organized as a breakfast event, this convivial moment brought together operating teams and the project’s technical partners. setec opency, acting as project coordinator (OPC), presented its role in managing this complex project and shared the key factors that made its successful delivery possible, despite the operational constraints of an active tramway network. setec its, lead design consultant (MOE) and representative of the setec consortium, outlined the project’s technical challenges.
A modernized SYTRAL Mobilites’ Tramway Control Center at the heart of an ambitious network expansion program
As part of the 2020–2026 mandate, SYTRAL Mobilités launched a major expansion program including three new tramway lines, a high-service-level bus line, and significant upgrades to several existing lines. This interdependent set of projects made it essential to modernize the central control systems—the true backbone of a dense, interconnected network. The effort focused particularly on critical systems such as the SAE (Operating Assistance System), GTC (Centralized Technical Management), GET (Traction Power Management), and video surveillance, all of which provide real-time data essential for supervision, operational decision-making, and maintenance.
setec opency’s OPC mission: coordinating, renovating, and managing works while keeping operations running
For this project, setec opency was commissioned as OPC (project coordination lead), working under the project management team led by setec its, the setec subsidiary specializing in transport systems.
Its mission was to orchestrate all works while ensuring uninterrupted tramway operations—running more than 23 hours per day. This required a combination of:
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setting up a fully equipped temporary control center to maintain network supervision during works,
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renovating and reconfiguring the main control centers, and
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conducting intensive testing phases to ensure performance, reliability, and operational safety of the new systems.
In parallel, setec opency coordinated the evolution of cross-functional technical systems—SAE, GTC, GET, and video surveillance—to harmonize them and integrate phasing for ongoing and future projects. This effort required close coordination across six interdependent projects impacting daily tramway operations, ten work packages, four contracts for temporary installations, and five additional procurement and infrastructure improvement contracts. Through rigorous planning, anticipation of technical interfaces, and tight coordination with both the operator and project owner, setec opency successfully managed this complex project in an environment where any service interruption was unacceptable—demonstrating its expertise in managing technically constrained, high-stakes projects.
A tool ready to support the growth of Lyon’s tramway network
With this modernized control center, SYTRAL Mobilités now has a facility capable of accommodating additional teams and supervising an expanded network with greater responsiveness. This evolution enhances real-time decision-making and improves the quality of service for passengers, supported by a more efficient centralized supervision system. Through meticulous planning and precise coordination, setec opency enabled the successful completion of this complex project while maintaining full network operations and ensuring optimal system performance.
Client (MOA): SYTRAL Mobilités
Design & Engineering (MOE): setec its and setec opency (OPC), setec GLI (subcontractors) and MAD Architecture & Conseil
Photo credits ©setecopency