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Algerian transport minister Amar Ghoul says the stretch of the East-West Highway linking Constantine to Annaba via Skikda will be completed by summer 2013. The works will be completed in stages, with the first part, between Constantine and Skikda, set to be operational by March 2013 at the latest. Once the stretch is fully completed, users will be able to travel from Tlemcen to Annaba via the East-West Highway. Ghoul said that all the financial and technical constraints that had hindered progress of the wor

The Green Party in Sweden has proposed a motion to ban the use of mobile phones while driving. MP Stina Bergström of the Green Party says two-thirds of Swedes are in favour of some form of ban. She has highlighted the fact that Sweden is the only EU country that does not have limitations on mobile phone use while driving.

Spain continues to lower its road fatality rate, with 2012 being the 9th consecutive year in which crash-related deaths have been reduced. There were 1,304 fatalities on Spain’s roads during 2012, a drop of 180 compared with the previous year. The number of accidents involving pedestrians has also been reduced although the number of accidents involving motorcyclists was similar to the previous year. Of concern is that the fact that cyclist fatalities increased. Of those vehicle occupants killed, 22% were no

The American parking industry has teamed up with U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) to back a government initiative to expand electric vehicle charging stations in the workplace. The International Parking Institute (IPI) has been named a founding ambassador in the US DoE’s Workplace Charging Challenge, a new initiative of the EV Everywhere Grand Challenge, announced by Secretary of Energy Steven Chu at the recent Washington Auto Show’s Public Policy Day. The Workplace Charging Challenge will support the expans

The Spanish government through its Ministry of Works has at least ten road construction projects worth a combined value of US$809.37 million (€600mn) ready for tendering. The investment is widely reported as being much-needed at a time when the sector is undergoing hardship due to the downturn in awarded work, and the sharp fall in tendering levels in 2012. Around five of the projects are said to be ready for immediate tendering. The biggest tender in terms of budget is worth €230 million and involves two p

Delcan has been awarded the International Road Federation’s (IRF) 2012 Global Road Achievement Award (GRAA) for quality management services on the Maryland Intercounty Connector project. The award was shared with the project owner, the Maryland State Highway Administration. A multi-disciplinary engineering, planning, management and technology firm, Delcan said the Award’s judges made their decision after looking at the technical quality, risk and cost control, of the Maryland Intercounty Connector (MIC) pr

A series of measures carried out in Northern Germany have had a notable effect on improving road safety. The latest data available reveals that in 2012, the number of people killed in road crashes dropped by 17% compared with the previous year for the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Tougher police enforcement on speeding is reckoned to be a major factor in reducing North Rhine-Westphalia’s road fatality rate to 526, compared with 634 in 2011. The police data shows that the tougher enforcemen

Key infrastructure projects planned by the government in Laos will help improve the country’s transport connectivity. Heuangsy Construction is to rebuild a 132km road connecting Xanakham with Hinheup in a deal worth some US$168 million signed with the government. The project includes building a new border checkpoint at Vang as well as work to 19 bridges, and links to the Road No13 North and National Highway No11. Another key project being funded by the Laos Government is the $13.75 million bridge over the M