THE Singapore Transport Solution (STARS) initiative got a boost on Friday when the Land Transport Authority (LTA) signed a Memorandum of Collaboration with two French firms.
First launched in November 2008, STARS aims, among others, to promote Singapore as a centre for research for world class urban transport solutions.
It also hopes to advance collaboration with leading research and industry partners.
In this regard, LTA and Steria Asia Pte Ltd will jointly explore areas of research such as advanced road monitoring and management. Meanwhile, Thales will assist in exploring the development of traffic management models using real time traffic information.
Meanwhile, two Downtown Line (DTL) contracts worth almost $700 million were also inked with two other French companies.
In the single biggest contract awarded so far for DTL, the Soletanche Bachy - Koh Brothers Joint Venture clinched a $582 million contract for the construction and completion of the DTL1 Bugis Station and its associated tunnels.
Separately, Constructions Industrielles de la Mediterranee was awarded a contract worth more than $100 million for the construction of 299 escalators for all DTL stations.
A total of seven major civil contracts for DTL have been awarded thus far with an approximate value of $1.76 billion.
The $12 billion, 40km Downtown Line is the longest underground rail project to date. It is scheduled to open in stages between 2013 and 2016.
