News

Three quarters of UK drivers are concerned that the use of Intelligent Speed Adaptations (ISAs) will compromise safety, according to research by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM). Last month, the EU announced that they were considering rules for new cars to be installed with Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) technology. The technology would be capable of detecting limits through cameras or satellites and automatically applying the brakes. Existing vehicles could be forced to be retrofitted with

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff is looking to invest US$6.12 billion (BRL 13.5 billion) in basic water and sanitation and paving projects under phase 2 of the country's growth acceleration plan. President Rousseff said a total of 310 projects are to be carried out, benefiting 1,198 cities and towns, including the federal district. Besides building drainage systems, water mains, and sewer systems, 7,500km of roads will be paved and 15,000km of sidewalks will be created. The resurfacing and implementi

The UK Government is about to underwrite investments in road, rail and energy projects worth €38.94 billion (£33 billion), the Treasury has announced. A total of 40 projects have now pre-qualified for state funding through the UK Guarantees scheme - more than 50% of which are energy projects. The Government guarantees will represent part of the project's capital value. The British Government believes that investing in infrastructure will generate jobs, drive growth and help ensure that the UK remains

The firm tasked with drawing up a ‘design concept’ for a ring road for the far eastern port city of Vladivostok say their pre-project report research will be completed in December 2013. Giprostroymost St. Petersburg is working within a plan for a 22km long ring road expected to cost around €802.65 million (RUB35 billion). The project cost is likely to increase considerably if overwater construction is deemed necessary. Vladivostok city authorities expect support from the federal budget. If the national g

Spanish construction companies ACS and Ferrovial are both taking part in the tender of the US$1.3 billion Neon Project in the U.S. State of Nevada, through different consortia. Ferrovial is bidding for the project through its subsidiary Cintra Infraestructuras, while Ferrovial has formed a consortium with Fengate Capital Management and Star America Fund GP. The Neon Project involves the extension of a 5.95km road stretch in Las Vegas city, including a bridge and a high capacity lane. The contract is expe

President of the Pan-European police body Ken Ricour discussed key achievements in the year since he took this post. Road safety is a key issue for TISPOL and the group has placed this as a priority for action. Success has been achieved in areas such as reducing speeding and drink driving, while a new focus has been placed on improving safety for vulnerable road users also.

Leading UK road maintenance companies have this week joined together with the Highways Agency to launch a national radio campaign to ask drivers to ‘take extra care’ through roadworks. Messages being aired on commercial radio stations across England from 21st October-3rd November consist of a series of three hard-hitting messages to raise awareness among the public of the need to drive safely through roadworks.

Volvo Construction Equipment president Pat Olney is to leave the global construction equipment manufacturing giant at the end of 2013. The 44-year-old joined Volvo CE in 1996 and has held a number of top management positions in finance, operations and general management, before becoming Volvo CE president in May 2011. He is to take a post at what a Volvo CE spokesperson said was a ‘non-competing, large engineering company based in the U.S.’

Vaisala with Ireland’s National Roads Authority (NRA) has signed a €3.65 million agreement with Vaisala. The five-year contract will see Vaisala providing a comprehensive package of winter maintenance decision making tools, solutions and services. This will allow the NRA to optimise winter service to Irish road users. The deal involves a state of the art road weather information management system. The contract includes maintenance of over 80 weather stations across Ireland as well as a provision for expandi

The Spanish Road Association (AEC) has revealed its concern over the state of the country’s road signage. The AEC carries out an audit of the Spanish road network every two years and its data shows that 26% of the country’s road signs do not meet safety requirements. According to the research 26% of the road signs are over 10 years old and no longer have sufficient reflective properties to provide sufficient visibility at night or in low light conditions caused by poor weather. The AEC’s audit also shows th

Amey is playing a leading role in the fight for zero harm at road works sites with the launch of a hard-hitting DVD in support of a national radio advertising campaign to coincide with the UK Highways Agency’s ‘Safety Week’ (October 21-27 October 2013). The public and regulated services provider’s DVD ‘Changing Behaviours – What Does It Take?’ features powerful scenes of near misses and accidents on the motorway and is designed to make employees think about what more they can do to make they keep themsel

ERF (European Union Road Federation) president Jacobo Díaz has urged leading transport industry companies and figures to participate in the 17th IRF World Meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Organised every four years, the global transport event from 9-13 November 2013 is a superb opportunity for transport sector stakeholders to gather and share knowledge, exchange good practices and return home with a new set of ideas on how to make our roads safer and more sustainable.