Egypt s Minister of Transport Kamel El-Wazir inspects a locally-produced bus for the BRT system. Egyptian Cabinet
The overall cost will be EGP 680 million as per a contract signed on Saturday between two local companies affiliated with the ministries of transport and military production, said a statement by the transport ministry.
The companies are the Arab Union Land Transport and Tourism Company (Super Jet), which is affiliated with the transport ministry, and the Armored Vehicles Production and Repair Factory (Factory 200 Military), which is affiliated with the National Authority for Military Production.
Minister of Transport Kamel El-Wazir stressed during the signing ceremony today that the reliance on local manufacturing components in the BRT project instead of importing them aims to save hard currency.
The reliance on local products will also help create job opportunities, meet the needs of the local market, and pave the way for export to North African and Arab countries, the statement cited El-Wazir as saying.
The contract, he added, also comes in response to the presidential directives to localise the transport industry, including eco-friendly electric buses, with the rate of local manufacturing to initially range between 50-60 percent and then gradually reach 100 percent.
The contract marks a major breakthrough in the manufacture of electric buses in Egypt, El-Wazir said, noting that the 100 buses will work in the first phase of the BRT project.
The government has finished the first phase of developing and expanding the Ring Road, building 76 kilometres of the highway, the Ministry of Transport announced in October.
In today’s statement, El-Wazir said the ministry is also working to complete construction of the BRT stations and start the second phase of developing the Ring Road.
The number of electric buses operating in the project will be increased when the second phase of developing the Ring Road is concluded, El-Wazir said.
Egypt's BRT system
The BRT, the first of its kind in the country, will serve 25 million people living in Greater Cairo (a quarter of Egypt’s population) through 47 stations located on the Ring Road.
The Ring Road links main highways in the governorates of Greater Cairo, which are Cairo, Giza, and Qalyoubia.
The once-congested Ring Road has been undergoing upgrades with a total cost of EGP21.5 billion to expand from four to seven lanes in each direction, making way for a dedicated BRT lane in each direction.
Ring Road will be also expanded to eight lanes in each direction on the El-Monib and El-Warraq bridges.
The BRT is a high-capacity bus-based public transport system designed to deliver faster and more efficient services than conventional public transport modes.
The new BRT system employs three bus models - single, double, and triple buses - that can accommodate between 95 and 300 passengers.
The BRT will replace microbuses, which will be completely banned on the Ring Road.
Egypt has embarked on a number of clean transportation projects in conjunction with its hosting of the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) last month in Sharm El-Sheikh.
Clean transportation projects being implemented in Egypt include the BRT and the 2.7 billion euro monorail lines in the New Administrative Capital, east of Cairo, and Giza's Sixth of October city.
In addition, the country inaugurated in July its first light rail transit (LRT), which can accommodate a million passengers per day.
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