The UK are embarking on a brand-new partnership with Israel, signed by the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, to share the two countries expertise on large scale rail projects, following the successful launch of the UK’s Elizabeth Line earlier this year.
This collaboration will unlock contemporary jobs and opportunities within the sector, boosting economic growth whilst enhancing the relationship between the two nations. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed by the two parties to allow project insights to be disbursed between the signatories.
The Department for Transport’s Crossrail International advisory company will afford Israel the benefits of the state-of-the-art Elizabeth Line. The UK is expected to see an economic boost of £42bn thanks to the introduction of the Elizabeth Line, accompanied by the creation of 55,000 jobs and 1,000 apprenticeships while expanding central London’s rail capacity by 10%. These huge benefits to the project will hopefully translate across the ocean for Israel’s multi-billion-pound mass transit project for Tel Aviv.
Negotiations between the two nations began in July, with Israel hoping to bolster their existing trade deal that supports around 6,600 UK businesses. With the current deal being worth around £5bn, an upgrade to existing framework could help to establish a modern, revamped trading relationship between two of the world’s services superpowers. This close and profitable dynamic between the two nations is highlighted via import revenues from 2021 alone, where imported £144 million of transportation services from Israel.
As part of the Transport Secretary’s visit to Israel this week, he has visited the building site of Tel Aviv’s new light rail line and will meet with the Israeli Transport Minister Merav Michaeli.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:
“Today’s partnership further ingrains our commitment to a global Britain, helping our world-leading rail industry to extend its expertise to friends overseas, while unlocking fresh business opportunities to boost the UK economy.
“Following the successful launch of our iconic Elizabeth Line earlier this year, this memorandum is a fantastic opportunity for our British engineers and advisors to share their ingenuity with Israel as they undertake their largest ever rail project in Tel Aviv.
“It was a pleasure to visit the project site this week to see first-hand the ongoing work to build such a revolutionary transport hub which will help millions of passengers get from A to B quicker, easier and more sustainably.”
Israel’s mass transit project is being supported by the Department for Transport owned Crossrail International, a specialist advisory company which offers its expertise across the globe to deliver complex rail projects. The success of this scheme will see the build of 3 light rail and metro lines to serve 27 local authorities and 3 million passengers daily.
A key example of the advice that can be offered from the UK is regarding design, safety and standards of new train lines across the country. Supplementary to this knowledge, expertise will also be shared on ensuring the upcoming infrastructural construction projects are delivered in a green and sustainable fashion.
Chief Executive Officer of Crossrail International Paul Dyson said:
“Our aim is to share good practice, lessons learned and innovation to provide better outcomes and wider benefits for our respective societies.
“Crossrail International is extremely proud to be a partner of this MoU and to act as a conduit of UK knowledge, skills and expertise that will support the Israeli Ministry of Transport in the delivery of its transformational rail transit portfolio.”
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