At the start of 2005, SYSTRA launched a project to upgrade the signalling on the east-west corridor of the Latvian railway network. The contract was signed with Latvian Railways (LDZ) in November 2003, but the process of selecting the contractors to carry out the work took longer than planned.
The project is co-financed by the EBRD, the EIB, the state of Latvia and EU-ISPA funding. The east-west corridor links Russia and Belorussia to the Baltic coast. 90% of goods freight, chiefly loose goods, are transported via this corridor.
The project provides for the design and construction of a new operational signalling system (including interlockings, automatic block systems, level crossings, offices of the Centralised Traffic Control System (CTC) and appropriate electrical supply equipment) as well as ancillary works such as the digging of trenches for cables, refurbishment of buildings, environmental measures and installations for the following sections of track : Ventspils - Jelgava - Krustpils ; Daugavpils - Indra. The contract complies with the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) conditions applicable to plant and design-build contracts (1999 edition) and to the contract terms of the Instrument for structural policies for pre-accession (ISPA). SYSTRA’s role is that of engineer in the FIDIC sense of the word providing technical assistance and advice to the Latvian Railways for the supervision of works.
SYSTRA has particular responsibility for providing the following services :
- Managing the works contract,
- Supervision of the detailed design (review and validation),
- Supervision of works carried out by the contractors.
A permanent office has been set up in Riga. A project manager based locally and six engineers will take part in the project, which is due to last 5 years.
