News

An International research project into the effects of extreme weather on Europe’s transport network has shown that rain causes the most problems. Heavy rain can cut off or submerge low-lying areas, cause bridge scour, flood underpasses and damage earthworks. The Project is headed by the Finnish research body VTT and is investigating the impact of extreme weather on transport further.

The authorities in Romania are launching the tender process for a new highway section. The country’s national roads and highways company,CNADNR, is handling the tenders for the project, which involves designing and building a 9km section of the Transilvania Highway between Gilau and Nadaselu in Cluj county. The deadline for ids is 21st March 2012. The project is expected to cost from €73 million to €80.3 million to construct.

Ireland's Ministry of Transport is focussing on road maintenance rather than building new links at present. With the country’s economy still struggling under a burden of debt, finances are limited. Around 30 road maintenance projects are planned to be carried out in in Ireland during 2012. The Irish Government intends to invest around €200 million/year on road maintenance until its finances improve. New road projects are being delayed and will be held back until 2016 or 2017.

The latest official data from the European Transport SafetyCommission (ETSC) shows that young people are amongst those facing the highest fatality risks while on the road in Europe. Some 140,000 young people aged 15-30 have lost their lives on Europe’s roads since 2001. Of these, 9,150 died in 2010. While this age group represents 20% of the population of the EU, the same group accounts for 30% of the total number of road deaths.

Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) president and chief executive Pat Olney said demand for construction equipment in North America could jump by a quarter in 2012, after revealing the company posted a 111% increase in like-for-like first quarter year sales. Olney said Volvo CE’s strong Q1 2012, and improved overall construction equipment trading in the US and Canada, had re-emphasised the company’s belief in a sustained North American market recovery.

More than 100 representatives from local authorities, the police, and the highway safety-related business world attended UK Roads Crash Demonstration Day at MIRA near Nuneaton, in central England yesterday. The event included five crash demonstrations of road safety solutions developed by leading highway technology companies and an exhibition of safety products and services inside a marquee next to the demonstration site.

Croatian motorways company Hrvatske Autoceste (HAC) is reported to be planning to launch its new automatic road toll payment system from the beginning of June. HAC purchased the prototype of the system last year for US$426,807.75. The new system is expected to speed up the paying of road tolls, thus increasing traffic flow.

Moroccan motorway operator Autoroutes du Maroc (ADM) has reportedly completed its planned US$131.78million capital increase. The ADM board is said to have passed several amendments to company purchasing policy aiming to promote transparency, fair competitive processes and efficient internal compliance checks. It recommends that the motorway operator checks standards in place among its subcontractors against specifications laid down regarding their workforce and quality standards. The board also passed chart

Business Minister Mark Prisk visited a construction industry showcase at the Department of Business and Innovation Skills (BIS) in London yesterday. During the event, the Minister met Rob Oliver, chief executive of the CEA (Construction Equipment Association), who also represented Datatag; and senior figures from Terex; Taylor Construction Plant; JCB; Nyclast Ltd; and Perkins Engines. Each company had more than five minutes with the Minister to discuss their products and their concerns in the industry inclu

All motorised vehicles are now barred from entering two of the busiest streets in Indonesian capital Jakarta for five hours every Sunday morning as part of a city-wide bid to cut pollution levels. The ban covering Jalan Sudirman and Jalan Thamrin between 6 am and 11am each Sunday began on Sunday 13 May, 2012.

An investigation is underway in Canada concerning the Bonaventure Expressway upgrade project. Canadian firm Societe du Havre (SHM) is being investigated by Montreal's authorities. The first phase of the reconstruction work is worth US$141.4 million (C$141.7 million). The road project is currently being controlled by both SHM and the city through a project office. The authorities are questioning the need to have two joint managers for the project. SHM will submit its financial statements for 2011/2012 to the

A complex and bitter legal battle is being fought in the courts in Nicaragua over the construction of a new road in neighbouring Costa Rica. The road in question runs parallel to the San Juan River and construction work on this project commenced in February 2012. But several environmental organisations have joined forces to sue the Costa Rican Government over the project. The organisations recently presented their allegations to the Central American Court of Justice (CCJ) during a public hearing in Nicaragu

A new road-widening strategy is being put into effect in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley. The aim of this programme is to reduce traffic jams on busy roads, especially during peak hours. A major problem for Kathmandu is that the current road the infrastructure in the city is not sufficient for the increasing numbers of vehicles. In a bid to tackle the problem, the authorities have initiated a programme of road widening in various areas of Kathmandu Valley. However, obstructions have been encountered due to residen