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Highway & Network Management

Incomplete UK roadworks could number up to 25,000
May 13, 2014
There could be up to 25,000 incomplete roadworks across the UK, according to breakdown recovery firm LV Road Rescue. The estimated figure equates to around 3,862kms of roadworks. Local authorities are spending €800 million (£647 million) on roadworks. In a separate survey, two-thirds of UK motorists believe the quality of roads in their local area is getting worse and more than a third (37%) said roadworks are not completed quickly enough. It is said the road repairs backlog is around €12.78 billion (£10.5
French 18-25 year olds underestimate driving style-linked dangers, study shows
May 2, 2014
According to a TNS Sofres study on driving styles for Axa, the frequency of driving and the kilometres travelled annually by France’s 18 to 25 year olds are higher than the national average. The study, which focuses on 350 young drivers in this demographic in addition to 1,200 other drivers, shows that they underestimate the dangers of using smartphones while driving. The study also showed that 62% of 18 to 25 year olds drive when they are tired.
UK motorway upgrade ahead of schedule
May 1, 2014
Joint venture contractor Skanska Balfour Beatty has completed work on a 19km section of the M25 motorway in the UK, six months ahead of schedule. Work on the M25 scheme between junctions 5 and 7 in Kent and Surrey forms part of a new generation of technology-driven improvements on the UK’s strategic road network.
UK’s RAC Foundation says drivers are being short-changed by parking meters
April 30, 2014
The RAC Foundation says that UK drivers are being left out of pocket by parking meters that do not give change. An assessment of new figures shows that councils may be gaining €46.11million (£38million) per year from overpayments on the pay-and-display machines.
Tolled freeway to Melbourne Airport due to undergo US$788.29mn widening
April 29, 2014
Australian developer and operator of tolled roads, Transurban, is planning to spend US$788.29 million (AUD 850 million) to widen an eight-lane tolled section of Tullamarine freeway leading to Melbourne Airport.
EU must do more to cut car occupant deaths, say transport safety campaigners
April 25, 2014
Transport safety campaigners are calling on the European Union to accelerate progress on reducing the number of people killed in cars annually in the EU, as new research shows 12,345 car occupants died in 2012. The report into trends in car occupant safety, published today (29 April 2014) by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), claims that 900 lives could be saved every year in the EU if car manufacturers were required to fit seat-belt reminder sensors to front and rear passenger seats to help prev
Fierce competition for Toronto 407 ETR highway expansion contract
April 24, 2014
ACS of Spain and Ferrovial are competing for the contract to construct and exploit the second phase of expanding the 407 ETR highway in Toronto, Canada – one of the world’s biggest toll highways. Ferrovial has been managing the 407 ETR highway since 1999 and secured the first phase of its expansion. Currently, ACS and Ferrovial lead two of the three groups invited to present bids for the second phase of the expansion. The third group is headed by Canada's SNC Lavalin, which is Ferrovial's current partner i
Large-scale Australian trial of all-seeing truck driver hazard warning system
April 24, 2014
In Australia, New South Wales state government agency Transport for NSW is to conduct a large-scale trial of a system that ‘sees’ around corners and over the crest of hills, warning truck drivers of hazards up to 1km away. The trial of the Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) technology will run for five years, using 95 MK4 anti-collision devices provided by Cohda Wireless communicating with roadside hardware on a dedicated 5.9GHz frequency. The first phase will launch in mid-2014, with 30 v
Balfour Beatty wins Midlands road technology maintenance package
April 23, 2014
Balfour Beatty has secured its third Regional Technology Maintenance Contract (RTMC) from the Highways Agency. This deal is worth some €10.56 million (£8.7 million) over five years. The package involves maintaining around 28,000 technology assets on behalf of the Highways Agency and will cover both the Highways Agency’s Area 7 (the East Midlands) and Area 9 (the West Midlands). The technology service provided by Balfour Beatty includes responsibility for managing and maintaining road-side technology systems
Record attendance at TRA 2014
April 22, 2014
Organisers of the 5th edition of the Transport Research Arena (TRA), Europe's largest conference on transport research and innovation, say the event attracted record attendance levels. Held at CNIT in Paris 14-17 April 2014, the event drew almost 3,000 visitors from 56 countries. Over 130 sessions, 650 presentations, 15 associated events and 1,000m² of exhibitions welcomed researchers and industrial and public policy players. They came together to examine their ideas about our society's changing transpor