Manana: The Kingdom of Bahrain plans to revamp its public bus transport system as the Minister of Transportation has appointed consortium of two leading firms.
The project, once fully operational, around 140 state-of-the-art buses will run a series of routes connecting most areas of the country. The joint venture between one of the world’s foremost public transport groups and a highly regarded Bahraini company is intended to modernise and develop the bus transport system in Bahrain to meet the needs of an ever-growing economy and population.
In this regard, KPMG Fakhro and Trowers & Hamlins signed a concession agreement between their client, the Bahrain Ministry of Transportation, and a joint venture comprising National Express plc and Ahmed Mansoor Al A’Ali to develop the public bus network in the country.
The execution of the project documentation by Minister of Transportation and Acting Chief Executive of the Economic Development Board Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed on 30 September 2014 marking a significant milestone in the Ministry of Transportation’s efforts to upgrade and enhance the public transportation system in Bahrain.
The consortium of KPMG Fakhro, Trowers & Hamlins, and Hyder Consulting advised the Ministry of Transportation on its bid process, selection of preferred bidder and the finalisation of the project documentation with the new joint venture operator.
“We are very proud of this landmark achievement in the Kingdom’s land transportation sector, and are confident that when the new system is fully operational, residents and citizens alike will experience a real shift in the level of public bus services. The new buses will be equipped with facilities and amenities that will make them more convenient to riders, and the expanded network will ensure that riders have increased mobility for their business and daily needs,” Ministry of Transportation Undersecretary for Land Transportation and Post, Engineer Mariam Ahmed Jumaan, said.
“We have been working with this consortium of KPMG Fakhro and Trowers & Hamlins for around one year and the expertise and advice provided throughout the process has been invaluable,” she said.
“We are proud to have been given the privilege to be involved in such a prestigious project that will have a significant impact on Bahrain’s communities. Working closely with the Ministry of Transportation, we have been through a thorough and detailed selection process to ensure that they have the best Operator to deliver the service,” Narayanan Ramachandran, KPMG partner and Head of Advisory for Bahrain and Qatar, said.
“This is a major deal and signals Bahrain’s intent for bringing best practice to its public transport network. We are very pleased to have helped to bring this project to a successful conclusion,” Abdul-Haq Mohammed, partner at Trowers & Hamlins, said.
KPMG Fakhro advised on the commercial and financial aspects of the transaction. Trowers & Hamlins acted as legal counsel on the deal, while technical support was provided by Hyder Consulting and Ian Barlex from Chadwell Associates Limited, UK.