DAMMAM, 22 January 2007 — All aboard! The UK’s first Railway Sector Mission to Saudi Arabia is underway through Tuesday. The Mission was arranged by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) in association with the Railway Industry Association (RIA). The 18 members of the trade delegation include representatives from ALH Rail Coating, Balfour Beatty Rail Track Systems, Enotrac UK Limited, ESR Technology, Jarvis PLC, Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems (UK), Lloyds Rail Register, Mechan Limited, Mott MacDonald, Rail Personnel International, Rapier I. Ltd., Tiflex Limited, Thales Telecoms Services, Transport Data Management, Scott Wilson Railways and White & Case.
As was fitting, the trade delegation’s tour began at the train station in Dammam, with a briefing from the Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) team, led by SRO President Khalid Alyahya. The members of the trade delegation are in Saudi Arabia in order to give select UK companies the opportunity to present their knowledge and experience to decision makers within the Saudi Arabian railway industry. The mission members will also gain an insight into the key railway projects being undertaken in the Kingdom
“The UK is where the first railways were built and we continue to have enormous expertise in all aspects of the railway industry,” said Terry Evans, head of the British Trade Office, Alkhobar. “In Saudi Arabia there are many new railway projects under discussion and implementation. These include the Landbridge Project, the Makkah-Madinah Rail Link, The North-South Mineral Rail Project and light rail projects in several cities. With several rail lines in the bidding and planning phases, it seemed an ideal time for UK firms in the railway industry to have first-hand interaction with the Saudi organizations proposing the new railways.”
Evans pointed out that historically and globally, UK firms have been involved in providing products, technical services and human resources to handle all aspects of planning, building, operating and maintaining railways. It is now more than a decade since Britain privatized its state-owned railway and that decade has seen all sectors of the industry thrive in a competitive marketplace.
“Britain’s network use is growing faster than anywhere else in Europe,” said Jeremy Candfield, director general, the UK Railway Industry Association (www.riagb.org.uk), and leader of the UK Railway Sector Mission. “The UK’s experience with privatization shows how exciting new approaches can win new business to rail, cutting road traffic and benefitting the environment. From innovations in ticketing technology to the latest developments in management and training, the traffic figures speak for themselves.”
Candfield added, “There are UK railway exports all over the world. Companies in the UK’s railway industry are used to working in a wide range of environments and doing so successfully.”
While on the train to Riyadh, the UK’s Railway Trade Delegation spent yesterday afternoon in briefings. In Riyadh they will meet with the Arriyadh Development Authority, Saudi Oger, the Bin Ladin Group and Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) as well as members of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
