As the Transport Secretary establishes a cooperation with Israel, the UK will open up new economic options and provide prospective employment for the nation’s rail sector.
Memorandum of Understanding to promote global Britain and allow British engineers to collaborate with enterprises abroad follows the successful launch of the Elizabeth Line, which is believed to have contributed £42 billion to the UK economy.
The UK’s rail sector will benefit from new business prospects and maybe new employment owing to a new collaboration that the Transport Secretary has inked with Israel (24 August 2022).
Following the successful opening of the UK’s Elizabeth Line earlier this year, the two nations will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to exchange experience on large-scale rail projects.
Through Crossrail International, an advisory company run by the Department of Transport, the advantages of the cutting-edge line will be expanded internationally.
This comes after the Elizabeth Line was inaugurated, which drastically cut travel times and commuting rates across London by nearly a third.
Additionally, the project is expected to add £42 billion to the UK economy, generate more than 55,000 jobs and 1,000 apprenticeships, and increase train capacity in central London by 10%.
It is therefore believed that commercial prospects with Israel, the third-largest trade partner for transport products with the UK, would not only allow companies to exchange priceless experience, but also enhance economic development and maybe result in the creation of new employment.
The UK and Israel began talks in July to update their existing trade agreement, which is worth $5 billion and benefits 6,600 UK companies.
A new, modernised commercial relationship between two of the world’s service superpowers would be established under the improved agreement.
This involves attempting to increase UK companies’ access to significant public sector contracts and expanding prospects for the services industry.
The UK bought transportation services worth £144 million from Israel in 2021 alone, underscoring the tight ties between our two countries.
The Transport Secretary visited the construction site of Tel Aviv’s new light rail line as part of his trip to Israel this week, and he will meet with Merav Michaeli, the Israeli Transport Minister.
Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, said:
The cooperation announced today strengthens our commitment to a global Britain by enabling our internationally renowned rail sector to assist allies in other countries while also opening up new economic possibilities to strengthen the UK economy.
This agreement is a terrific chance for our British engineers and consultants to share their innovation with Israel as they embark on their largest-ever rail project in Tel Aviv, after the successful inauguration of our famous Elizabeth Line earlier this year.
It was a delight to visit the project site this week to see firsthand the continuous construction of such a ground-breaking transportation hub that will make it simpler, faster, and more environmentally friendly for millions of travellers to go from point A to point B.
Merav Michaeli, minister of transportation and traffic safety:
Transportation affects national security. This is recognised and appreciated on a global scale, and I am pleased to develop relations and sign agreements with other nations that support Israel.
I want to congratulate my colleague Grant Shapps, the secretary of state for transportation, for visiting Israel and for the innovative partnership that the two of us have built.
I am convinced that the knowledge we have exchanged and the contracts we have signed will lead to improved transportation in both nations, especially greener shared transportation, which the world sorely needs as we deal with the climate problem.
These actions form the basis of our significant bilateral connections and help to improve ties between Israel and the United Kingdom.
By doing this, we are advancing Israeli transit considerably.
The UK-Israel MOU comes as Israel is working on a multi-billion-pound mass transportation project in Tel Aviv, the biggest and most challenging infrastructure undertaking in the history of the nation.
The Department of Transportation-owned Crossrail International, a specialised advising firm that provides its expertise throughout the world to undertake complicated train projects, is supporting the initiative.
Three light rail and metro lines will be constructed as part of the project to accommodate 3 million daily passengers and 27 local administrations.
Both nations will be able to exchange knowledge and best practises about significant transportation projects thanks to the new pact.
For instance, Israel will get guidance on the design, safety, and standards of new railway lines throughout the nation from the UK’s Crossrail International.
Additionally, knowledge on how to design transportation projects as sustainably and environmentally friendly as feasible will be shared.
Paul Dyson, the chief executive officer of Crossrail International, said:
Our goal is to exchange best practises, knowledge gained through experience, and innovation in order to improve results and broaden the benefits to our various societies.
In order to assist the Israeli Ministry of Transport in implementing its revolutionary rail transit portfolio, Crossrail International will serve as a conduit for UK knowledge, experience, and skills.
Crossrail International is very delighted to be a partner of this MoU.
The Department for Transport and the Israeli Ministry of Transport and Road Safety have signed a pact that will help the UK economy by giving British experts the option to give specialised guidance on Tel Aviv’s new metro line.