Qatar’s Transport and Communications Ministry has awarded three of the four packages required in updating its transport masterplan.

• Package 1, which entails data collection, has been awarded to UK’s Groundsure.
• Package 2, which includes project management consultancy, has not been awarded.
• Package 3, which comprises an update to the Qatar Strategic Transportation Model (QSTM), has been awarded to Italy’s Italconsult.
• Package 4, comprising updating the masterplan itself, has been awarded to a joint venture of Australia’s WorleyParsons and Germany’s PTV.

The four packages are estimated to be worth a combined QR100m ($27m).

PTV developed Qatar’s previous transport masterplan, which covered the 2006-16 period. The study and masterplan development was commissioned by the Municipality & Urban Planning Ministry, and was undertaken between 2006 and 2008.

Updating the masterplan is long overdue, a source familiar with the project tells MEED.

In other markets with rapidly growing population, transport masterplans are understood to be updated every three years.

The ministry is understood to have also awarded several packages last year in line with improving the country’s public transport infrastructure. These include a bus infrastructure consultancy awarded to US’ Aecom, and a bus operation plan awarded to France’s Systra. The first package is seen to include a plan to introduce a bus rapid transit (BRT).

Consultants are also understood to have submitted offers for a freight masterplan.

Most the GCC municipalities are under pressure to introduce an integrated transport system to address growing traffic congestion in urban areas and to achieve their sustainability objectives.