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The European Commission has warned Portugal to change national rules on the introduction of tolling that are contrary to Community law, a decision that has widespread implications for similar schemes throughout the rest of Europe depending on how what is becoming a complex legal tangle is resolved. In November, 2010, the Aveiro municipality filed a formal complaint against the Portuguese Government to the European Commission objecting to a tolling scheme on the old SCUT highway. It argued that the system wa

According to a report from Pike Research, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) combined will represent 3.1 per cent of worldwide auto sales by 2017. Thanks to predicted higher penetration rates in the United States, Pike believes HEVs and PEVs will account for 5.1 per cent of total US vehicle sales in 2017.

A US$265.2 million loan is being provided by the African Development Bank (AfDB) to the Kenyan authorities for infrastructure work. Kenya’s Finance Ministry said that the loan will be used to improve the road network as well as to improve energy infrastructure. With this latest loan the AfDB has supplied Kenya with funds worth close to $1.5 billion for road improvements and energy infrastructure work.

The tender process for a new highway in South Africa is now open for bids. The US$392.5 million project is for the north-west corridor of the Rustenburg Rapid Transport (RRT). Bids are also open now for the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and topographical as well as structural services. The RRT is scheduled to start construction in June 2012 and be ready for use in 2015.

ContiTech generated new company record sales of €3.6 billion in 2011. It represented a 16% rise for the Hanover, Germany-based firm on its previous year sales of €3.1billion. The all-time sales high had a positive effect on recruitment as ContiTech hired around 1,400 new staff at locations around the world in 2011 - with 430 of the new jobs in Germany.

The Caterpillar Foundation today announced a five-year, $12.5 million grant to the World Resources Institute (WRI) to advance the progress of environmentally sustainable and livable cities in China, India, and Brazil.

The latest information from Germany’s equipment manufacturing association, the VDMA, suggests that the market looks healthy at present. VDMA figures show that the industry is showing moderate growth to continue in 2012. German manufacturers of building and building material machines are again banking on turnover to increase in the current year. This will set a good ground for the bauma exhibition taking place from 15 – 21 April 2013 in Munich. According to the organisers of the show, the signals for medium

Mozambique’s road network is to receive international funding for various projects. The 304km road connecting Cuamba and Lichinga in Niassa province will be improved under the plan.

The World Bank is reducing its financing projects in Ukraine until 2016. The new cooperation strategy between the bank and the country's government follows a drop in financing through slow spending loans extended by the bank to the country in recent years. The bank will provide US$150million for the Second Project for Exports Development in 2012. And Ukraine can also receive $1billion in 2013-2014. However, both financing packages will depend on development of economic reforms in the country during the foll

The European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC) is calling on the European Governments to recognise the importance of investing in infrastructure. The FIEC says it recognises the challenging economic climate and the need for governments to cut unsustainable levels of public debt. But FIEC president Luisa Todini commented, “Austerity is however not a solution by itself.” Europe’s transport, energy and telecommunication networks are the backbone of the EU internal market, ensuring that goods and services

Plans are in hand for infrastructure upgrades in Malaysia. The local government in Selangor State is to carry out a series of infrastructure projects, including the construction of three or four highways with a total investment of US$2.44 billion. Meanwhile a new 6km toll road will be built to link Marunda with Kalibaru terminal in Indonesia's Tanjung Priok. This will cost an estimated US$167 million and forms part of a plan to have a railway and toll road linking other major facilities with the terminal.