Alstom wins right to bid for Montreal metro cars

TORONTO, Jan 9 (Reuters) - French transport group Alstom (ALSO.PA) has won the right to bid for a C$1.2 billion ($1.2 billion) contract to replace cars on the Montreal metro system, the company said on Wednesday.

In an evening release, Alstom said the Superior Court in Canada's French-speaking province of Quebec had ruled in its favor in a dispute about a 2006 order that Quebec had initially planned to offer to Alstom rival Bombardier (BBDb.TO), without allowing competitive bids.

"The Quebec Superior Court gave a ruling which establishes the validity of Alstom's request to have the right to participate in an invitation to tender for the replacement of Montreal's fleet of metro cars," Alstom said.

The Montreal order will supply the metro system with 336 rubber-tire metro cars, and Alstom Canada President Pierre Gauthier said Alstom would submit a "competitive offer." ($1=$1.01 Canadian) (Reporting by Janet Guttsman; Editing by Ben Tan)