The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has received bids from consultants to update Dubai’s rail masterplan.

The bidders include:

• Aecom (US)
• Arup (UK)
• Atkins (UK)
• Mott MacDonald (UK)
• Parsons (US)
• RMC (local)
• Systra (France)
• WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff (Canada-headquartered)

Expected to take about nine months to complete, the study will look at updating and modifying the RTA’s proposed future metro lines and other public transport networks such as the tram. It will also consider other rail systems such as personal rapid transit (PRT).

The transport agency’s latest 2030 masterplan includes a 421-kilometre-long railway network with 197 stations.

There are several possible metro new lines, including:

• Red line extension from Rashidiya to Mirdif City Centre
• Red line extension connecting to Dubai Parks and Dubai Waterfront
• Green line extension from Al-Jadaf to Academic City
• Green line extension from Ras al-Khor to Meydan
• Green line extension to Sharjah border
• Purple line connecting Dubai International airport and Al-Maktoum International airport
• Pink line running along Umm Suqeim Road
• Gold line running from Bur Dubai up to Emirates Road and back to Dubai Media City area

The plans also include two extensions to the tram. The first extension will connect the existing network to the Madinat Jumeirah resort and Mall of the Emirates. The second extension will take the tram along Jumeirah Beach Road to the Union Museum area on 2 December Street.

WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff completed the earlier transit study.

In late June, the RTA awarded the contract to design and build the AED10.6bn ($2.9bn) Route 2020 metro link connecting to the Expo site to the consortium of Spain’s Acciona, Turkey’s Gulermak, and France’s Alstom.