News

Ritchie Bros Auctioneers sold some US$3.8 billion of equipment at 356 unreserved auctions around the world in 2013. This is a 3% decrease in gross auction proceeds (GAP) compared to the record set in 2012. During the fourth quarter of 2013, the firm achieved gross auction proceeds of $1.1 billion, a record for the fourth quarter and an increase of 10% compared to the same quarter of 2012. "We achieved some notable milestones during 2013," said Peter Blake, CEO of Ritchie Bros. "In Canada, our most establi

Australia’s historic Great Ocean Road looks set to benefit from a major upgrade. This twisty tourist route runs along the coast in the state of Victoria and will receive US$44.7 million (A$50 million) in funding, which is being provided in an equal split between the Australian Federal Government and the Victoria State Government. The scenic route was constructed between WWI and WWII and largely by hand as part of a government scheme to reduce unemployment, as well as to provide access to a remote area of th

The authorities in Russia and the Ukraine are making plans for a new transport link via the Kerch Strait. At this early stage of the planning process, both bridge and tunnel options are being considered. This new bridge or tunnel connection would allow drivers to travel between Crimea and Kuban (South) and improve transport connections and trade, reinforcing the strong economic links that exist between Russia and the Ukraine. The authorities are now setting out feasibility studies, the results of which will

Egis Lagan Services now has a new contract in Ireland for the provision of operation, maintenance and renewals services on 330km of motorways in Ireland. Egis Lagan Services is a joint venture company between the French company Egis and Northern Irish infrastructure company Lagan. The company has a five year contract with the National Roads Authority the Motorway Maintenance and Renewal Contract (MMaRC) in the south of Ireland (Area C). The project is for the routine operation and maintenance of the road ne

Research from the UK reveals an alarming picture of road safety amongst young male drivers. This data is likely to be replicated in other European drivers as well as further afield. According to the UK’s Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), some 30,850 male drivers aged 17-20 have up to six points on their driving licences. However, only 9,758 female drivers aged 17-20 have up to six points on their licences. Drivers are awarded points for motoring offences in the UK, with more serious offences resulting

A new video clip produced by the authorities in the UK highlights the risks of misjudging vehicle distances and speeds when entering a busy highway from a slip road. Fortunately no-one was seriously hurt and an alert truck driver’s timely response averted a major incident.

Newpark Mats and Integrated Services (NMIS), a unit of Houston, U.S.-based Newpark Resources and among the leading providers of ground protection solutions worldwide, has announced the acquisition of Terrafirma Roadways (TFR). TFR was founded in 2001 to provide temporary roadway and worksite solutions to utility, construction, and event customers throughout the UK. Since 2006, the company has been a strategic partner with Newpark and the exclusive UK distributor of Newpark’s DURA-BASE Advanced-Composite Ma

EU plans for all new cars to be fitted with automated emergency call devices (eCall) moved a step closer today following a vote by the European Parliament's transport committee. The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), representing safety campaigners and experts across the EU, welcomed the latest development. Antonio Avenoso, executive director of ETSC said, "After a serious car crash, every second counts. This system has the potential to save many lives because it will enable the emergency services

Honk Kong has topped an updated Arthur D. Little Urban Mobility Index assessing world cities’ mobility maturity and performance. The 84-city Index, contained in a new version of the ‘Future of Urban Mobility’ study produced by Arthur D. Little management consultants and the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), ranks Stockholm and Amsterdam second and third respectively, with Copenhagen and Vienna rounding off the top five. The Index reveals that most cities are still badly equipped to cop

Traffic police in Finland have been carrying out breath tests across the country in a bid to reduce the around “58 cases a day” of drink-driving detected on the nation’s highways. A recent breath test day operation was held in Mikkeli, southern Finland and filmed by TISPOL (the European Traffic Police Network). Speaking to the TISPOL film crew during the test day, Finland Traffic Police Chief Inspector Jarmo Puustinen said, “We are doing this because we have an average of 21,000 cases monthly where people