Thales wins Dubai Metro signalling contract
Thales has been selected to deliver signalling systems for the upgrade and extension of Dubai Metro’s Red Line to the Expo 2020 site.
Expolink, a consortium comprised of Alstom, ACCIONA and Gulermak, penned a EUR 2.6bn ($2.77bn) contract last year with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to design and build the Red Line extension and upgrade existing systems.
Known as Route 2020, the 15 km extension will include seven stations and is currently under construction and due to enter into service in May 2020, five months before the Expo opens its doors.
Thales will provide state-of-the-art driverless train signalling technology as well as integrated supervision, telecommunications, passengers services, security and fare collection systems, it said in a statement. These solutions are designed to optimise energy consumption, smooth passenger flows and improve IT connectivity.
The French companys ground transportation solutions have been in service on the Dubai metro for the last seven years. They include driverless train signalling systems, the control centre, integrated supervision and communications, passengers services, security and revenue collection systems.
Thales has been selected again to improve urban mobility, provide the latest enhancements to the solutions already in service and equip 50 new trains provided by Expolink consortium.
One of the challenges will be to complete the project without disruption to the metros 20-hour-a-day operation on the existing line.
