HIBAPRESS-A. Mahyaoui
The city of Fez is moving towards exploring new options to develop its urban mobility system and enhance its tourist appeal, through a project to establish a tourist cable car, after the Regional Investment Center for the Fez-Meknes region announced the launch of an international expression of interest targeting companies and investors wishing to carry out and operate the project.
This trend comes in the context of seeking innovative solutions to diversify modes of transport within the scientific capital, while investing in the historical and architectural qualifications that the city abounds with, especially concerning the panoramic views of the old city, which is one of Fez's most prominent tourist and civilizational features.
According to the announced data, the expected project is not limited to providing an aerial means of transport, but also aims to offer a distinguished tourist experience, through a route that allows visitors to enjoy views of the city and its surroundings, while taking into account the heritage and environmental privacy of the areas that the project may cover.
A two-stage procedure to attract investors
In preparation for this project, the Regional Investment Center adopted a two-stage procedure. The first stage involves the preliminary selection of candidates based on their experience and professional references, in addition to submitting an initial vision regarding the technical feasibility of the project, according to a preliminary study of the "APS" type, as well as a brief financial offer.
The second stage will be dedicated to the final selection of candidates who pass the first stage, with a view to identifying the entities capable of presenting an integrated vision for the implementation and operation of the project, according to the conditions and criteria that will be determined by the adopted procedure.
The announcement of the call for expressions of interest remains a step to explore available offers and investment potentials, pending the outcomes of the subsequent selection stages, and the data that may accompany them regarding the estimated cost, potential route, and financing and management mechanisms.
The cable car and the "Busway"… new bets for mobility in Fez
This project coincides with the progress of preparations related to the Busway project, which is one of the components of the future vision for urban transport in the city of Fez.
Last April, "Fez Region Development" company launched a call for tenders to carry out the preliminary study for the first line of this project, which is part of the master plan for public transport on a dedicated route, which includes five anticipated lines by 2040.
It is expected, according to the data circulating about the project, that the first line will extend over a distance of approximately 25 kilometers, connecting the Ain Chqaf area, Bab El Ftouh, and Fez-Saïss Airport, passing through a number of main axes, with the aim of improving connectivity between different parts of the city and reducing the congestion in some of its streets.
The combination of the cable car project and the "Busway" project raises questions about the extent to which these initiatives can bring about a tangible transformation in Fez's mobility system, and their integration with existing transportation methods, especially concerning reducing overcrowding, improving access to peripheral areas, and strengthening links to tourist sites.
Between tourist ambition and urban mobility requirements, the success of the cable car project remains contingent on the maturity of the technical and financial studies, the clarity of the investment and operation model, as well as adherence to the regulations related to the protection of heritage and the urban landscape of the old city.
The upcoming stages are also expected to reveal clearer details regarding the economic and social feasibility of the project, and its ability to provide real added value to the city of Fez, whether in terms of improving the visitor experience, contributing to the development of the tourism offer, or creating new economic opportunities.
