News

Increasing demand for passenger cars worldwide could boost pressure on consumers to consider electric vehicles. According to the World Bank, more cars could be built over the coming 20 years than in the entire auto industry’s 110-year history. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) predicts that between 2010 and 2050, passenger transport flow will grow by some 30% in developed countries. This increase will have a significant impact on traditional road networks and modes of transpo

Moves are afoot within the European Commission to develop tighter CO2 emissions standards for vans. This move forms part of a wider plan to cut emissions from the road transport sector. Under the terms of the plan so far, the EC hopes to introduce a 2020 goal to limit average CO2 emissions from new cars to 95grammes/km. A separate draft includes plans to enforce a provisional goal to limit emissions from new vans to 147grammes/km by the same date.

The closure earlier this month of the Cinquantenaire and Loi tunnels in Brussels, Belgium, is said to have caused congestion problems in the city and on the Brussels ringroad. The tunnels are due to remain closed for three months to allow for the renovation and modernisation of Brussels-Schuman station.

The Italian-Slovak consortium of HANT BA DS and INC has been excluded by the Slovak national motorway company NDS from the tender for the construction of a 15.25km stretch of the Hubova-Ivachvova D1 motorway in Slovakia. Slovak company HANT BA DS has asked NDS to revaluate its decision as it claims that its offer fulfils all tender conditions. The consortium offered the lowest price of US$259.44mn (€207.50mn) excluding VAT. Italian partner INC claims that exclusion from the tender was unfounded and said it

Data from the organisers of the Hillhead quarry show in the UK reveal a 10% jump in visitor attendance. In all a total of more than 17,000 visitors attended Hillhead 2012 compared with 15,500 in 2010. One major exhibitor said that its records show that close to 3,000 people visited its booth alone. Throughout the three days of the show attendees were able to view more live demonstrations and new plant and equipment than ever before, presented by a record 459 exhibitors. Dates for Hillhead 2014 will be annou

A webinar being run by the IRF will help industry professionals achieve proper crash cushion selection based on site-specific seeds and conditions. The webinar is being held on June 27th from 2:00-3:00 pm US-EDT as part of the IRF’s Safer Roads by Design series and is being hosted by industry expert and IRF safety advisor Mike Dreznes. The aim of the webinar is to deliver proper classification of crash cushions, a task critical to ensure the appropriate placement of crash cushions, also known as impact atte

A new report released by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) shows transportation improvement programmes are struggling in over half the US states. ARTBA’s analysis of state highway and bridge contract awards value was compiled by McGraw-Hill Analytics. This report finds that even when adjusted for inflation, the value of highway and bridge work let in 28 states and the District of Columbia over the past 12 months is less than they awarded in pre-recession 2008. “That’s a major

Hargreaves has made history by becoming the first mining project in Europe, Africa and the Middle East to invest in a total solution from the newly extended Caterpillar mining range. The seven year US$94.02million (£60mn) deal with Finning Equipment Solutions includes four new Cat 6030 hydraulic excavators and 19 777 Off Highway trucks, delivered earlier this year to the new Hargreaves’ Surface Mining Division for use at the Tower Colliery open cast mine site in Hirwaun, Rhondda Cynon Taff, South Wales.

The authorities in China have revealed that construction of the Fuzhou section of the new Beijing–Taipei highway will commence by late May 2012. The two-way four-lane expressway will have a design speed of 100km/h. The 53km Fuzhou section is expected to cost some US$1.04 billion to construct. This section of highway will take four years to complete.

Road tolls in Bosnia are to rise by over 100%. Director of the Bosnian motorways company Autoceste FBiH, Ensad Karic, said the federal government Federal Bosnia and Herzegovina had approved the increase, effective from 13 June, 2013. Prices for personal vehicles will increase from BAM 2 to BAM 4.20 (US$2.68) on the Sarajevo-Zenica 37km motorway.

Messe München International is further expanding its international network of events to include a new trade show in India for the environmental technology sector. The first IFAT INDIA will take place from October 24 to 26, 2013 at the BCEC in Mumbai). Messe München and its subsidiary MMI India are expecting the event to attract around 100 exhibitors and 6,000 visitors, and to take up 6,000 square meters of exhibition space.

The road bypass of the Czech city of Kolin is expected to open by the end of 2012. Builders have recently stabilised subgrade in Staralka. The 8km road is worth about US$97.4million (CZK 2bn). The project was delayed by a slow progress in buying land which took four years. The city has been waiting for the bypass for more than 40 years.

More than 80km of roadways are to be renovated in the Buryat Republic, Siberia, in 2012 as a part of the regional targeted programme. The renovation works include 60.3km of regional roads and 20km of local significance roads. At the beginning of 2012 highway mileage in the republic amounted to approximately 8,300km.

A total of US$1.89billion (CNY 11.97bn) has been allocated to build 51.47km of highways across the city of Shijiazhuang in Hebei Province, China. The feasibility report for the plan was recently approved by provincial authorities.