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UK rail infrastructure firm Network Rail is the front runner for a contract in Saudi Arabia to provide consultancy support to the largest railway being built in the world.
The contract with the Saudi Railway Company will see Network Rail's consultancy division work on the North-South Railway, a 1,700 mile line between the cities of Riyadh and Haditha, near the border with Jordan. The £3.3 billion railway line, which has 148 bridges, is being built in phases to transport bulk minerals from phosphate and bauxite mines, as well as to carry freight and up to 2 million passengers every year. Most of the railway, including branches to the mines and coastal port of Ras Al-Khair, have been completed.
Network Rail Consulting (NRC) was set up in 2012 to sell its in-house expertise and experience to organisations outside of the UK seeking advice and support on running rail infrastructure. NRC's largest contract to date has been £15m for advisory work on a 23 mile stretch of track in New South Wales, Australia.
According to a report published by market research firm Meed earlier this year, £94 billion of railway, metro and tram projects are under way or planned in the Middle East and North Africa. Author of the report, Ed James, said: “More than $25bn-worth of rail contracts are expected to be awarded in 2014, with a similar amount likely in 2015,
“These include packages on the Doha, Jeddah and Abu Dhabi metros, the second phase of the Etihad Rail project, the third phase of Line 3 of the Cairo metro and various tram projects in Algeria.
“The main driver for rail and metro development in the region is the increasing congestion in urban areas and the economic benefits rail networks can bring, especially to more remote areas. Moreover, for the oil exporters high oil prices have meant they have the funds to finance their rail ambitions.”
More information can be found at
www.meedrailprojects.com