News

There is caution but no catastrophe in the European construction equipment sales market, according to Volvo Construction Equipment (CE) EMEA sales president Tomas Kuta. Speaking at a press conference to launch Volvo CE’s PL3005D pipelayer, and ahead of the in-port race of the Volvo Ocean Race in Lorient, France, Kuta said: “Europe is not a catastrophe. Our Quarter 1 (2012) results were very much driven by Europe, but it’s the outlook that is so uncertain. “We (Volvo CE) have seen good development in the no

Italy's motorway infrastructure is expected to receive US$ 49.95billion (€40bn) of new investment. The entirely private company backed investment will be financed by tolls. In the first four months of 2012, around US$873.8million (€700million) was invested in Italy's motorway infrastructure.

Vietnam’s Dung Quat-Sa Huynh road project, on which initial works are being carried out, will receive additional funds for land clearance and construction. The cash injection increases the amount invested in the project in Quang Ngai Province to more than US$267.68million (VND 5.60tn).

Traffic on the A 40 motorway in the German province of North-Rhine Westphalia will be stopped from using the key highway to allow for tests on a new road repair scheme. The vehicle ban on the motorway near Essen begins on 7 July, 2012. Sources close to the scheme say that without the complete closure of the A40 motorway, the work would have taken two years to complete.

THE AUTHORITIES in Belgian capital Brussels are discussing the possibility of introducing a congestion charge system. UK capital London and Swedish capital Stockholm already have functioning congestion charge schemes that have helped solve the previous near traffic gridlock in both cities at peak periods. Another option for Brussels would be to tackle congestion by boosting the use of public transport for commuters entering and leaving the city. Meanwhile in the Belgian Flanders region the authorities are e

In Australia, a road contract worth US$400.47 million (A$400 million) has been won by Interlinks Roads. The deal involves upgrading a key section of highway, with Transurban holding a 50% stake in Interlink Roads. In addition, Abigroup will carry out a $315 million deal to widen a 21km section of Sydney's M5 highway has been secured by Abigroup. The M5 work is due for completion in 2014 and includes widening 21km of the M5 from two lanes to three lanes between Camden Valley Highway and King Georges Road.

The UK now has new guidance designed to ensure that when utilities companies dig up the road surface, they leave proper repairs once the work is complete. It is estimated that poorly replaced road surfaces mean there are around 90,000 remedial works each year, adding inconvenience to motorists and cyclists. Many of the road repairs are not properly carried out, increasing the risk of potholes forming and further defects. This significantly increases the risk of accidents and of damage to vehicles. The new l

Environmental questions are facing the construction of the Martin-Presov highway in Slovakia. The European Investment Bank (EIB) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are waiting to receive approval to fund construction of the highway in Slovakia from the European Commission (EC). However the EC is not giving its approval for the loans at present until the Slovak Government provides answers as to why the route goes through a national park. Although the Slovakian Transport Ministry is k

Highway sector experts in India are calling for tougher enforcement on helmet use, to boost safety standards for powered two wheeler riders. The country’s accident statistics show worryingly high levels of deaths and injuries for powered two wheeler riders. India is the world’s second largest producer of two-wheelers and these constitute nearly 70% of the country’s registered vehicles. According to India’s National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), some 28,234 persons (21.1%) of two-wheeler riders have been kill

Environmental questions are facing the construction of the Martin-Presov highway in Slovakia. The European Investment Bank (EIB) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are waiting to receive approval to fund construction of the highway in Slovakia from the European Commission (EC). However the EC is not giving its approval for the loans at present until the Slovak Government provides answers as to why the route goes through a national park. Although the Slovakian Transport Ministry is k

DELAYS are facing construction work on Serbia’s Corridor 10 highway project. The country’s present administration has explained that the previous government left debts of €300 million and that many planned projects had been left uncompleted, with only the draft of the Serbian Urban Plan being finished. The Dimitrovgrad Ring Road is opening to traffic but other links are delayed or well behind schedule. Meanwhile a €170 million deal for construction of the Zemun-Borca Bridge has been signed with Chinese comp

A proposal for a new bridge from Sweden to Denmark is included in the Swedish government's new infrastructure development plan for the country. The Swedish politicians would prefer a fixed link and they have invited the Danish government to examine the prospects for bridge plans. The Swedish suggestion is for a bridge link across the Sound (Øresund) between Helsingør in Denmark and Helsingborg in Sweden and Danish officials have been invited to comment. This proposal forms part of Sweden’s new infrastructur