LONDON (The Construction Index) – Mott MacDonald has been chosen as project leader to introduce a trolleybus service in Kyrgyzstan’s second city, Osh. The Osh Auto Transport Enterprise project aims to establish a reliable public transport network with services on core city routes.

The new network will be funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development and will see the purchase of new high-capacity trolleybuses to replace the existing privately run, poorly regulated, minibus service. The project also includes the partial rehabilitation of related infrastructure and introduction of a formal ticketing system in the city. This will offer affordable monthly passes and provide customers with the option of changing routes without being charged extra fares.

Mott MacDonald will support the implementation of a public service contract (PSC) between the city’s public transport authority and Osh Auto Transport Enterprise. The PSC will include a plan for the city’s service payments to the company and define the quality and quantity of services expected from the transport operator. Mott MacDonald will develop a financial and operational performance improvement programme for Osh Auto Transport Enterprise, as well as fleet and infrastructure maintenance and repair programmes.

Ondřej Kokeš, Mott MacDonald’s project director, said: “Osh is the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan and the major political, financial and cultural centre in the south of the country. This project is essential for public transport services to meet the demands of the city’s growing population.”

The project is expected to complete in the beginning of 2016.

The Mott MacDonald Group is an employee-owned multidisciplinary consultancy with headquarters in the United Kingdom. It provides engineering and development consultancy internationally for both the public and private sectors. It employs 16,000 staff in 140 countries and is one of the largest employee-owned companies in the world.