The tender for buses required for the Amman bus rapid transit (BRT) scheme has been delayed and is likely to be released in September. The tender was expected to be released this month.

”The delay is due to the decision to integrate the Amman BRT project with the Commuter BRT, which will extend from Amman to Al-Zarqa,” says Ayman Smadi, executive director for transport, Greater Amman Municipality (GAM). Al-Zarqa is a city located northeast of Amman. 

Smadi said the decision is in line with the plan to have only one operator for both schemes.

The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) is supplying the JD120m credit required for the Amman BRT project, while France’s Agence Francaise and Developpement (AFD) is funding the $152m budget required to complete Commuter BRT scheme.

In addition to the BRT, Smadi earlier said that Amman plans to acquire and put into operation some 100 electric vehicles, the Nissan Leaf, and install 20 electric vehicle chargers across Amman, in a bid to decongest the city and introduce a more efficient public transport system.

Amman’s population has doubled over the past few years due to urban migration as well as the influx of refugees from neighbouring countries.

“A mass transit system is required [in Amman], otherwise the number of vehicles in Amman will be reaching 2 million by 2020… this will be disastrous environmentally and economically,” Smadi said.