News

In the UK a leading consultancy, WSP, is calling for close scrutiny of Census data and traffic trends. This move forms part of the UK Government’s Transport Select Committee investigation into the country’s strategic road network (SRN). According to WSP more must be done to investigate and take account of new trends in development, demographics and travel patterns when making decisions on future infrastructure provision. It claims that there is evidence in some areas that car journeys have been stagnating o

Hewden, the UK-based national plant hire specialist, is enjoying booming demand for its 10-month-old Core Fleet Guarantee scheme which offers a next day-delivery service on the 30 most popular hired plant and access machines in its fleet. Launched in February this year, 20,363 deliveries have been made to date with 20,115 going through on time … a success rate of 98.78%.

Software specialist Bentley Systems awarded key road and bridge construction projects for excellence in the use of its software. The awards were presented at the firm’s annual event, this year held at the Metropole Hotel in UK capital London.

Hazardous emissions from vehicle traffic have fallen in Sweden’s second largest city since the introduction of a congestion tax system. Gothenburg, a city of around 500,000 inhabitants, has seen a welcome fall in both nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, according to the city’s local authority.

Traffic police in Thailand’s capital Bangkok are to operate from next year an online e-traffic ticket system in a bid to control traffic congestion and road accidents in the city. After a four-year pilot, the new US$6.12 million (THB 190 million) e-traffic ticket system is being funded by Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), deputy chief of Bangkok's traffic police Pol Maj Gen Adul Narongsak has revealed. The police will partner with Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and the Land Transport Depar

A project to improve Bolivia’s existing 77.8km road between San Ignacio de Moxos and Trinidad will cost US$129.3 million, the government has announced. The project includes a 1.7km bridge over Mamore river. The first areas of work will involve the road between San Ignacio de Moxos and Puerto Ganadero. This section will cost US$84 million and will be improved by ABC. Euroestudios-CPS Belmonte has signed a US$2.2 million contract with ABC for studies on the future Mamore river bridge. The cost of the bridge h

Road construction and renovation works worth more than €2billion combined are earmarked for three different areas of west Russia. Highways construction and renovation projects valued at €347.2 million (RUB 15.19 billion) will be carried out in Moscow’s new southwest territories under the Russian capital's targeted investment programme. During the works, some 12.8km of roads will be built in 2014, 8.7km in 2015, 19km in 2016, and 19.9km in 2017. Elsewhere, the Krasnodar region plans to allocate over €1

Major developments and next steps in UK local planning and major infrastructure policy will be discussed at the Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum taking place later this month. With the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) now in full operation, the Forum will see delegates assess early indications of its impact on the planning system in England. Other key topics include how to preserve local democracy while coordinating large projects, progress on sustainability, and how to successfu

In Indonesia, economic losses due to traffic accidents reportedly add up to around US$18.16 billion (IDR 200 trillion) a year – 2.9% of the nation’s annual gross domestic product. Data from the police showed that a total of some 120,000 traffic accidents were reported in 2012 contributing to a death toll of nearly 30,000 people. The figures were revealed during the 12th Regional Conference of Road Engineering on 22 October 2013 in West Java.

The Flemish government is planning to separate local and transit traffic on an enlarged Brussels ring road in a bid to ease congestion in the north of the city. Earmarked to start in 2016 the €380 million project, which would create special lanes for local and transit traffic, would involve major road work. The Brussels government is divided over the plan, with some officials saying that it will only encourage more traffic in the long run. Apart from the ring road plan, the Flemish government is also con

Colombia's National Infrastructure Agency (ANI) has launched a near US$742.1 million (COP 1.4 trillion) tender for a double-lane road between Mulalo and Loboguerrero. All interested parties have ten working days to object the terms and conditions set for this tender. The project involves a road of 31.8km, including 11km of tunnels and more than 2km of bridges. Ten consortia have been pre-qualified for this project already.

3M expects to post a turnover of US$350 million (RUB 11.129 billion) in Russia this year – an increase of 16.6% on the $300 million (RUB 9.539 billion) posted in 2011, according to its CEO Inge Thulin. Russia accounts for 1% of total annual turnover for the globally renowned manufacturer of innovative products for transport, industry, healthcare, energy efficiency, security and other spheres. 3M estimates that developing countries will capture 40-45% of its total turnover within five years, up from t

Malaysia’s construction boom has reached its peak, according to a new Business Monitor (BM) report on the country’s infrastructure investment. The leading global independent business research data provider’s report states that Malaysia’s construction activity in Q2 2013 represented the lowest pace of expansion since Q4 2011. BM expects this slowdown to intensify, primarily due to falling demand for residential and non-residential buildings, as well as concerns about Malaysia's fiscal position. These concer