Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded the contract for the operation and maintenance of the Dubai Metro to the British group, Serco until September 2021.

The new contract will cover the Dubai Metro Red Line Extension Project (Route 2020).

The Dubai Metro currently has a network length of 75 km, which will increase to 90 km with the Red Line expansion and include seven stations. The test-run of the services will start in February 2020.

RTA said in a statement that HE Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA said: “Serco has delivered operational performance levels in the Dubai Metro with a high train service availability of 99.9% and a punctuality of 99.8%, achieving a record of 204 million journeys in 2018.”

“Under the contract, Serco will provide operational & maintenance services to both lines of the Dubai Metro as well as Route 2020 involving the extension of the Red Line to the site of Expo. The contract also covers all metro assets such as trains, railways and stations.”

The contract scope will also include operating and maintaining the fare systems of Dubai Metro as well as supporting nol cards. Meanwhile, Al Tayer said the RTA is keen on qualifying Emiratis and Serco will be responsible for recruiting and training citizens to achieve a set Emiratisation target.

Rupert Soames, Serco Group CEO, said: “We are delighted to have agreed to this extended and expanded contract to continue operating and maintaining the Dubai Metro.”

“This contract demonstrates the high confidence that RTA has in Serco to continue with delivering world-class levels of safety, operational performance and customer service.”

Al Tayer signed the contract on behalf of the RTA and Soames represented Serco at the signing ceremony which was attended by Baroness Rona Fairhead, Minister of State for Trade & Export Promotion and HE Patrick Moody, British ambassador to the UAE.