Moving people and goods is one of the specialities of French companies. Not only does France have one of the largest high-speed railway networks in the world, but its expertise is sought all over the globe when it comes to setting up and managing transport networks — including by the UAE.
No wonder French firms have been involved in seaport and airport construction in the Emirates in the past, and lately in flagship projects such as the Dubai Tram.
Making a mark
“Key projects undertaken by French companies in Dubai include the Dubai Metro and the Dubai Tram,” says Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). “[Transport engineering and consulting group] Systra was awarded a consultancy contract for both the Red and Green Lines of the Dubai Metro project and Dubai Tram.”
Thales Group, a French multinational that designs and builds electrical systems and services the aerospace, defence, transportation and security markets, implemented the signal control system as well as the communication system of Dubai’s driverless Metro.
“There are so many [innovative] things that can be done in this part of the world, and we’ve been sharing our technology with UAE companies,” says Thibaut Trancart, UAE Country Director, Thales Group.
In addition, the Paris-based RATP Group, one of the largest urban transport operators in the world, has been awarded several consultancy contracts to develop the country’s transport network as a whole.
French expertise is also at work behind the Dubai Tram, the first-ever tramway system in the Gulf, which opened to the public on November 12. French rail transport specialist Alstom delivered 11 trams for the first phase, which covers more than 10.6 kilometres between Jumeirah Lake Towers and Al Sufouh. It serves 11 stations and cost around $1 billion (about Dh3.67 billion).
Tenders for phase 2, which will expand the network towards Burj Al Arab and Mall of the Emirates, will be issued in November next year. The RTA expects the tram to carry around 27,000 passengers per day in the initial phase, rising to about 66,000 by 2020. Phase 3 of the project will eventually extend the network along Jumeirah Beach Road upon completion in 2025.
“The trams for Dubai, which we are proud to have handed over ahead of schedule, illustrates Alstom’s strategy to serve all markets with a complete range of solutions, while demonstrating our leading position in tramway systems,” Henri Poupart-Lafarge, President of Alstom Transport, said at the opening ceremony.
“Thanks to Alstom and the RTA, Dubai’s citizens can now travel aboard one of the world’s most sophisticated and comfortable trams.”
More on the cards
Alstom is also involved with the Etihad Rail project, where it is implementing its ERTMS signalling solutions, and was recently awarded a contract by developer Emaar Properties to supply tracks for the downtown transportation trolley system as well.
French companies are at work elsewhere across the region, too. Alstom is helping the development of tram systems in Qatar, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey, and involved with the construction of the Riyadh and Cairo Metros.
Meanwhile, Thales is deploying a train control system, interlockings, rail field elements and systems for communications and surveillance to Saudi Arabia’s new North-South Railway. It has teamed up with a local partner to lead the consortium managing the turnkey 2,400-kilometre project.
