Work on a multi-billion-dinar rapid transit network for Bahrain is being shunted into the sidings by a budget shortage, areport said.

It has been delayed because vital studies have not been completed because of financing problems, Works Minister Fahmi Al Jowder was quoted as saying by the Gulf Daily News report.

The futurist scheme includes bus, tram and monorail networks to take traffic off the country's increasingly congested roads.

The first part of the Integrated Public Transport study has been completed, but the second part has been delayed by a year because of finance issues, Al Jowder said.

He said the government would be in a better position to decide what mix of funding it should use for the project, once the study was completed.

"Part two of study should have started, but due to the financial crisis it has been postponed," he said.

"The intention was to start part two of the study in mid-2008, complete it by the end of this year and begin implementing it in 2010.

"But what happened is that because we didn't start with the study, the implementation has been affected. It is premature to say how long it will be delayed.

"Once we start with part two we will know. It will take a year-and-a-half, it includes the corridors or routes, the allocation of stations and touches on the cost and finances, so that an informed decision can be made.

"We have a consultant and there are contractors who expressed willingness in the implementation phase of the project, even on a design and build basis, which we will be considering in the second part of the study but we have not chosen anyone yet."

The Integrated Transport Strategy comprises six transit lines with four types of transit technology.

It will include two Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines, one 33km and the other 36.5km long, two light rail transit (LRT) lines - 32km and 32.7km long, a 21km tram line and a 29km monorail (the monorail alone is expected to cost BD3 billion or $7.95 billion).

The integrated strategy is expected to be implemented in three phases, up to 2030.

Action to cut deaths on Bahrain's roads, following the Traffic Safety Study conducted by Transport and Roads Laboratories, UK, has also been hit by the budget crunch.

The study lays down the blueprint for a National Road Safety Strategy for Bahrain and aims to reduce fatal accidents by 30 per cent by 2018.

The total cost is estimated at BD13.8 million for various stakeholders concerned such as roads, health, enforcement, education and research. For the road sector, budget needs are BD1.1 million this year and BD1.1m for next year.

"This was a comprehensive study that laid down a blueprint for safety enhancement, focusing on 10 areas we need to focus on - not just traffic - including education, information, emergency rooms and design of roads," said Al Jowder.

"This is needed to reduce fatal accidents on our roads and by doing this we also reduce the cost."

The Intelligent Transport System (ITS) project is also due to be implemented, said Al Jowder.

It will monitor and control major roads by using traffic signals, speed cameras, incident detection devices, electronic variable signs and other technologies.

The first phase is expected to cost BD9 million and is due to be implemented this year, while the second phase estimated at BD5 million is due to be executed next year.

It aims to provide improved safety to drivers, traffic efficiency, reduced traffic congestion, improved environmental quality and energy efficiency and improved economic productivity.

"We need to move with the intelligent transport service project phase one, which is due to be implemented," said Al Jowder. "It is ready to go to tender and we have pre-qualified international tenderers." -TradeArabia News Service