QATAR Railways sent a conditional letter of acceptance on February 20 to its preferred bidder for a turnkey contract to supply electrical and mechanical systems including rolling stock for the first phase of the Doha metro network.

BOMBARDIER and the New United Group (NUG) have signed an agreement to create a new joint venture in signalling and train control in China. The new venture will be located in Changzhou, a city of 4.6 million inhabitants near Shanghai in Jiangsu province, where a number of major cities are planning tram and metro upgrades.

ARGENTINA's Interior and Transport Ministry has concluded contracts for the resignalling of Buenos Aires' Sarmiento and Mitre suburban lines, together with the electrification of the final section of the 60km Buenos Aires Constitutión – La Plata Line.

WABTEC announced on February 4 that it has acquired US signalling contractor Railroad Controls from its parent company RCL Services Group for an undisclosed sum.

THE board of South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) has awarded Transdev's US rail infrastructure maintenance subsidiary VTMI a $US 161m contract to maintain track, signalling, and structures on the 115km Tri-Rail commuter line from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale and Miami.

SPAIN's infrastructure manager Adif has awarded a €155m contract to a consortium led by CAF Signalling to equip the new Monforte de Cid – Murcia high-speed line with ERTMS Level 2.

SIEMENS Rail Automation began work on January 26 on a 22-month project to renew life-expired signalling on the Heyford – Leamington Spa section of the Didcot – Oxford – Birmingham line, which is being carried out under a £40m contract awarded by infrastructure manager Network Rail.

MITSUBISHI Heavy Industries (MHI) has awarded Nippon Signal, Japan, a contract to supply signalling systems for São Paulo metro Line 6.

MTR Corporation has awarded a consortium of Thales and Alstom a €330m contract to supply and install Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) on the Hong Kong metro network.

BELGIUM's Mobility and Transport Federal Public Services (FPS) has awarded Mott MacDonald a contract to independently review the €2bn national rollout of ETCS currently being implemented by infrastructure manager Infrabel.