Advisor for new metro line has been selected
The facts
- The new M5 Metro line will provide Metro access to both existing urban areas and new neighbourhoods. It will also help solve the capacity challenge of the current Metro across the harbour section and contribute to sustainable urban development in the new urban areas of Kløverparken, Refshaleøen and Lynetteholm.
- The line to be studied consists of 10 stations from Copenhagen Central Station via Islands Brygge, Amagerbrogade and Refshaleøen to Lynetteholm and Østerport as well as a branching chamber for a possible future Øresund Metro. In addition, a perspective study will be carried out on the possibility of closing the ring between Copenhagen Central Station and Østerport with several stations.
- The environmental impact report of the M5 must examine all relevant environmental perspectives of the chosen line, stations and reasonable alternatives. The environmental perspectives include, among other things, significant direct and indirect effects on e.g. population and human health, noise and vibrations, biodiversity and impacts on e.g. land, soil, water, air and climate and cultural heritage.
- Metroselskabet has a target to reduce the climate impact of new metro lines, including the M5, by 50 per cent compared to previous lines. At the same time, there must be a strong focus on the customer experience, the Metro's contribution to the city, and safety and occupational health and safety in both construction and operation. These will therefore be the main challenges that all future consultants must also contribute to finding solutions to.
The City of Copenhagen, the Danish State and the Municipality of Frederiksberg have decided to initiate the environmental impact assessment of the new M5 metro line, and Metroselskabet has now selected consultants for this work as well as the work on the relocation and construction design of the metro line.
Following an EU tender, a consortium consisting of COWI A/S and Ove Arup & Partners Denmark A/S (COWI-ARUP-JV) has been selected to help ensure high quality in the initial environmental impact assessment of metro line M5.
‘We welcome the consultants to the project and look forward to working together to fulfil the important social task of investigating and planning the capital's future metro line. The environmental impact assessment is a very important part of this process,’ says Russell Saltmarsh, M5 Project Director at Metroselskabet.
Good process
Four bidders were pre-qualified to bid for the consultancy contract, namely Artelia Aecom M5, COWI-ARUP-JV, Niras / N:E:W and Ramboll Atkins M5 JV. All four bidders have entered into an active dialogue with Metroselskabet and have thereby helped to improve the tender material and create a good basis for the future task solution and cooperation.
‘From start to finish, there has been a very good dialogue with all bidders, which has inspired us to an even better process. With M5, we have high goals to build a Metro that has a strong focus on the customer experience while significantly reducing the climate impact. This cannot succeed without collaboration, which is why a strong dialogue with the consultants is essential from day one,’ says Russell Saltmarsh.
COWI and Arup are also looking forward to the collaboration.
‘We are excited and feel privileged to be part of the M5 team as we work together to develop Copenhagen's next metro line for the city's many residents. The vision for sustainability in the project is very ambitious, and innovation and digitalisation will be key elements in the development of new solutions - without compromising on customer experience or safety. We will significantly reduce the climate footprint and set new standards for the Metros of the future,’ says Flemming Billeskov Nissen, Project Director at COWI.
At Arup, enthusiasm is also high.
‘The new M5 line will set new standards for climate considerations and contribute to a greener future for Copenhagen. We look forward to working with our partners on this visionary project, leveraging our expertise in the design and development of sustainable transport systems and not least beautiful, efficient and safe passenger experiences that will take the world's best Metro to the next level,’ says Alison Norrish, Project Director at Arup.
The winners of the consultancy contract have been selected following an EU tender and the process has been conducted under the rules of ‘competitive dialogue’. In the coming period, Metroselskabet will also be selecting consultants for the work on land and rights and the task of assessor, among other things.