Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has invited firms to bid for the design of the second phase of the Dubai Tram network.

The prospective bidders for the consultancy deal include:

• Aecom (US)
• Arup (UK)
• Atkins (UK)
• CH2M (US)
• Parsons (US)
• Systra (France)
• Sener (Spain)
• WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff (Canada headquartered)

The second phase of the tram network will link the depot at the end of the first phase of the existing network to the Mall of the Emirates Metro Station on Sheikh Zayed Road. The track will run through the proposed Mall of the World development that Dubai Holding plans to build.

A third phase is also planned by the RTA that will run from Mall of the Emirates along Jumeirah Beach Road to Union House at the junction of 2 December Street, which was formerly known as Al-Dhiyafa Street. The third phase could also connect to Dubai Metro at Al-Jafaliya Station in the Satwa area.

The first phase of the tram opened in 2014. It was built by a team of France’s Alstom and the local/Belgian Bel Hasa Six Construct. Systra was the consultant.

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.

Dubai receives rail bids

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