Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) is planning to establish a mobility and transport centre to run training programmes to qualify and upgrade the competencies of managers and engineers at the agency’s rail and transport divisions.

Germany’s Deutsche Bahn has been appointed as partner for the training centre, which is expected to open in early 2017.

Berlin-headquartered Duetsche Bahn operates the German passenger and freight rail network, which extends 60,000km. It also operates long-distance trains across Europe through a subsidiary called DB Fernverker.

The two parties “share many common objectives and can exchange the best expertise in the field of rail operation and maintenance as well as… planning, designing and constructing rail projects,” a joint statement by the RTA and Deutsche Bahn said.

The RTA recently awarded the contract for the AED10.6bn ($2.9bn) contract to design and build the Dubai Metro’s Route 2020 link to a consortium of Spain’s Acciona, Turkey’s Gulermak and France’s Alstom. The winner was announced and confirmed on 29 June.

It also recently received bids from consultants for the contract to design the second phase of the Dubai Tram network.

The bidders are:

• Arup (UK) / Typsa (Spain)
• CH2M (US)
• Dar al-Handasah (Lebanon)
• Parsons (US) / Atkins (UK) / Egis (France)
• Systra (France) / Aecom (US)
• WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff (Canada headquartered) / Sener (Spain)