A consortium led by UK-based consultant Serco Group has been awarded a five-year, $184m contract to provide management and technical support for operations on Saudi Arabia’s North South Railway (NSR).Â
The group will partner the state-owned Saudi Railway Company, acting as a prime contractor and providing technical support for passenger operations.Â
Other consortium members include Freightliner Group, which will provide freight expertise, and Network Rail Consulting, which will advise on the infrastructure.Â
The NSR will link Haditha on the Jordanian border and Ras Al Azoor on the Gulf coast; a spur will also run to Riyadh in the south. It will be more then 2,750km long when finished.Â
Rumaih al Rumaih, the chief executive of SAR, said: "Our vision is to implement world-class railway practices and deliver the highest standard of technical, commercial and operational service excellence."Â
Rupert Soames, Serco Group’s chief executive, said: "I’m delighted that Serco has won this important contract, which is completely aligned with our strategy of building an international public service business specialising in transport, justice and immigration, defence, citizen services and healthcare."Â
It is Serco’s first contract in Saudi Arabia.
Pic: Riyadh railway station in Saudi Arabia (Wikimedia Commons)
