MEXICO City Public Transport System (STC) has awarded Alstom Transport Mexico a Pesos 5.8bn ($US 343m) contract to modernise 85 rubber-tyred trains, which are used on metro lines 4, 5, 6, 7, and B.

THE government of the Federal District of Mexico City has begun tendering for the construction of the 4km extension of metro Line 12 from its western terminus at Mixcoac to an interchange with Line 1 at Observatorio.

A REPORT into technical defects which have led to the partial closure of Mexico City metro Line 12 is due to be published within the next few weeks.

MEXICO's transport and communications ministry (SCT) has issued a call for tenders for construction of a 4.6km tunnel from Ocoyoacac Township, east of Toluca, east to the neighbouring Cuajimalpa delegation, which is the second section of the proposed 58km Toluca - Mexico City railway.

THE mayor of Mexico City, Mr Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, accompanied by Mexico's president, Mr Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, officially opened Line 12 yesterday.

Plans to invest $US 2.33bn in 167 new metro trains are likely to be abandoned because the abolition of the city's car ownership tax has caused a funding shortfall.