Hyder Consulting has been appointed to develop the architectural design for a public transport system in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

The plan for the transport network includes metro, ferry, bus and cycle services, as well as public spaces and retail areas.

Hyder, a subsidiary of consultancy firm Arcadis, will work as a part of the Foster + Partners team to “develop the architectural vision” for the public transport system.

The plan includes the design of metro stations and branding, Arcadis said in a statement.

“Over the last two years, our railway team has invested time and effort in helping Metro Jeddah Company set up and move this project forward, underlining our commitment to Jeddah and the wider Saudi market,” said Sameer Daoud, Infrastructure Global Business Leader of Arcadis in the Middle East. “This is yet another example of the combined multinational strength and technical expertise of Hyder and Arcadis, which has fortified our position in infrastructure design in the Middle East.”

Only 12% of Jeddah’s population currently live within a ten-minute walk of public transport, it has been reported.

The contract signing ceremony with the client, Jeddah Metro Company, was held in Jeddah on 31 March 2015. The contract was signed by Prince Khalid bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the governor of Makkah Province.