The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a contract extending the operation and maintenance of the Dubai Metro with UK-based Serco Group until September 2021.

The new contract covers the operation and maintenance of the Dubai Metro Red Line Extension Project, better known as Route 2020, which spans 15km and connects seven stations and is expected to start in February 2020.

The Dubai Metro lines currently have a network length of 75km, which will increase to 90km, and will have over 120 trains running at peak times.

The total value of the fixed base fee for the two-year contract is around AED680 million ($185 million).

Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the RTA, signed the contract on behalf of RTA and Rupert Soames, Serco Group CEO represented Serco.

“Serco has delivered operational performance levels in the Dubai Metro with a high train service availability of 99.9 percent and a punctuality of 99.8 percent, achieving a record of 204 million journeys in 2018,” said Al Tayer.

“Under the contract, the company will provide operational and 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. It will also cater to the provision of high-class passenger transit services customised to the daily ridership demands," he added.

Soames said: “We are delighted to have agreed this extended and expanded contract to continue operating and maintaining the Dubai Metro, which is among the largest and most reliable rail services in the world. We look forward to working in close partnership with the RTA in support of the preparations for Expo 2020 and beyond.”