1.1
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia and is one of the fastest growing cities in the World. Its
current population is around 5.7 million and is expected to reach 8.3 million by the year 2030.
This enormous growth in population fuelled by the economic boom of the last two decades has
led to a very high increase in motorized traffic outgrowing the capacity of the City’s well planned
road network system.
The current daily traffic demand is 7.4 million vehicle trips, out of which almost 90% is met by
private automobile; the daily demand is expected to exceed 12 million vehicle trips by the year
2030. This huge increase in traffic coupled with high dependence on automobile has led to
severe traffic congestion, especially during peak hours on the major roads of the City’s
transportation system.
In order to meet this growing challenge of the rapid urban growth, the ArRiyadh Development
Authority (ADA), the City’s planning body under the jurisdiction of the High Commission for the
Development of ArRiyadh, has carried out a number of metropolitan strategic planning studies,
with a sustainable public transportation system as a corner stone, with the aim of reducing
automobile dependence and significantly improving the level of service of the transportation
system.
MEDSTAR, the metropolitan development strategy for Riyadh, provides the integrated land
use/transport framework for managing Riyadh’s future growth to 2030 and is the context in
which the planning and development of the public transport networks must be set.
The key metropolitan development goals for the city include sustainability in planning and a
good quality of life in a healthy and modern environment. Public Transport plays a major role in
the attainment of these goals. For Public Transport the ADA is seeking:
Goal: A world class Public Transport system; and
Aims: Reliable, efficient and affordable transport.
Companies seeking pre-qualification and then invitations to tender for bus system services need
to be fully aware of the MEDSTAR proposals for the city and also to focus on how best to assist
the ADA in achieving its public transport objectives.
Bus Al Riyadh Project is required to provide a very attractive level of service in order to
encourage inhabitants to use the system instead of their cars. A top class quality of service is
therefore expected and this shall direct the detailed design process.