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The authorities in China are keen for increased use of electric vehicles as part of a plan to reduce pollution in major cities, and as part of a wider programme aimed at lowering the environmental impact from mobility. Fuel costs are comparatively high in China, further encouraging drivers to switch to electric vehicles, at least for urban trips. And electric-assist bicycles as well as scooters are already popular in Chinese cities, highlighting the strong potential market for electric cars in the country.

The next Transport Research Arena (TRA) conference is being organised for April 14th-17th 2014 and will be held at La Défense in French capital, Paris. This event is crucial for the transport sector in Europe and is supported by the European Commission, the Conference of European Road Directors and the three European Technology Platforms. The conference focuses on the main challenges in transport and mobility for people and goods, with respect to energy, environment, safety, security and economic factors. T

Atkins has secured a new US$7.5 million two-year contract to provide statewide construction management (CM) services to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT). The contract will see Atkins continue to manage statewide construction projects for ODOT, as it has done since 2009. As part of its previous CM contracts, Atkins oversaw construction efforts for several bridges, as well as for urban projects in four ODOT field divisions. Atkins also managed stimulus-funded projects for roadway rehabilitatio

The Haryana state government in India has given IVRCL a deal worth US$293.07 million (INR 16.05bn) to build a 151km road between Kharak and Malikhapur. The project is scheduled to be completed in 30 months, with financing set to be secured in the next six months.

The Bucharest-Constanta highway works in Romania have finished following the successful completion of the final Cernavoda-Medgidia and Medgidia-Constanta routes. The major US$427.41 million (RON 1.49bn) project, designed in the 1980s, was stopped several times and restarted due to problems with the feasibility studies, lack of financing and cancellation of the contracts with contractors. Meanwhile, Expert Proiect 2002 has been awarded a contract worth US$224,865.60 (RON 781,800) by the national roads author

Ritchie Bros. was today due to stage its latest American unreserved public auction of construction equipment in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. Among the more than 560 items up for grabs were 20 articulated dump trucks; 25 wheeled loaders; seven motor graders; 14 hydraulic excavators; and five front shovels. Among featured equipment manufacturers are Caterpillar, Hitachi, John Deere, and Volvo CE. Auction goers were being urged to register to bid, either in person, by proxy or online in real time.

Increased demand in Latin America for Volvo CE’s SDLG range of machines has prompted the firm to invest in new manufacturing capability. A new manufacturing facility will be constructed in Brazil that will focus on building the SDLG brand of excavators. Called SDLG America Latina, this operation will be the focus of a US$10 million investment in a manufacturing facility at Pederneiras, São Paulo State. The new factory will be alongside Volvo CE’s existing manufacturing complex in Pederneiras, but will be se

Oman's Directorate General of Roads and Land Transport has awarded US engineering and construction firm Parsons a contract to provide design and construction supervision services for the expansion of the Nizwa-Thumrait road. Under the deal, Parsons is required to provide preliminary and detailed design as well as providing tender documents, construction supervision, traffic study and analysis along with alignment study and finalisation. The project includes the conversion of a single 715km carriageway betwe

Work on an extension to the express lanes on the I-95 Interstate highway in the US will be carried by Fluor Enterprises and the Transurban Group. The two companies have a 76-year concession package to operate and maintain the toll road infrastructure for the section of I-95 under a joint venture arrangement, 95 Express, The 147km stretch of express lanes on the I-95 highway will be owned by The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) however. Work on the US$925 million project is commencing in Septembe

A loan from China will provide a crucial portion of the funding being used by the Macedonian Government to build new highway sections. These highway stretches include key links between from Stip and the existing pan-European, Corridor 10. Once complete the new highway sections will connect Macedonia with Greece and Serbia by road. Other highway sections planned will run from Ohrid to Kicevo and form a portion of the unfinished Corridor 8 intended to connect Macedonia with Albania and Bulgaria. The projects

Plans for huge investments in transport infrastructure have been made in China. In all some 60 infrastructure projects worth just over US$160 billion have been identified by the Chinese authorities. The work will include building 2,018km of new roads and highways, including improved connections between Shanghai and Guangzhou. The total road investment budget expected could range from $22.6-32.4 billion, although a definite programme of works has still to be established.

The Ministry of Public Works in Indonesia has allocated US$5.33 billion (IDR 50.35 trillion) for a development master plan set to include improvements to vital access and toll roads. Among the projects in the Acceleration and Expansion of Economy Development master plan up until 2014 are access roads from Nabire to Narotali; from Manokwari to Sorong in Papua; from Sei Mangke to Kuala Tanjung in North Sumatra; and from Tanjung Priok to the Metropolitan Priority Area. It also includes the Cileunyi-Sumedang-Da