Brussels, 16/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - Giving the new tramways of Ile-de-France permanent infrastructure while providing users with a quality urban environment and landscape - such is the aim of the €200 million funding contract signed by the European Investment Bank (EIB) with the Ile-de-France Region on Friday 16 March. The setting in place of the new infrastructure will make it possible to considerably improve services for the near suburbs of Paris, especially on the T5, T6, T7 and T8 lines. In the future, the project will allow nearly 500,000 more travellers to take the tramway throughout the network every day. “Respect of the environment is at the core of the funding, fully in line with the European climate action objectives”, the EIB states in its press release. Rolling stock is financed by the STIF (Syndicat des transport d'Ile-de-France), with, in particular, EIB participation by way of €300 million in loans granted last November. (OL/transl.jl)