Highway & Network Management

The 37th ASECAP Annual Study and Information Days held in Krakow, Poland, gathered some 300 road transport CEOs, experts and government decision-makers making the event "a huge success." Patrick Smith reports Toll road operators from across Europe have met to discuss the state of their businesses in the current economic climate and how to tackle it. Fabrizio Palenzona, the outgoing President of ASECAP (the European professional Association of Operators of Toll Road Infrastructures) and president of AISCAT (

The Brazilian city of Sao Paulo suffers a heavily congested road network. Huge traffic jams up to 100km long are common and can be even 200km long in bad weather or at weekends and holidays. Of the 1.1 million vehicles that drive into Sao Paulo every day, almost a third are passing through and the new Rodoanel Mario Covas orbital route is intended to tackle the problem. This is a 170km long highway around the city that will connect the 10 highways linking Sao Paulo and allow many vehicles to avoid the conge

The new generation SPECS3 average speed enforcement system offers key improvements over earlier generation units. This package is said to help reduce congestion, emissions and achieve high speed compliance rates, boosting traffic safety. The system has now successfully completed the technical testing phase for the UK's Home Office Type Approval (HOTA) and looks likely to be accepted in other European countries. It has been recommended for full HOTA by the Roads Policing Enforcement Technology (RPET) committ

The new Scilux lighting system from US Architectural Lighting is said to be a full cut-off luminaire with aerodynamic styling that suits duties in applications where visual aesthetics are considered important. The fixture has a streamlined body design with external top ribbing that helps dissipate heat, reduces EPA values, and increases both ballast life and lamp performance. Computer-designed segmented reflectors provide a wide range of light distribution patterns to suit an array of applications. Scilux i

US Architectural says that its new Galaxy Series now offers customers over 100 different street lighting options. The designs are modular, allowing key components to be interchanged so that customers can design lighting for their own specific purpose. The Galaxy line now features 13 models with varied heights and widths, depending on site requirements. Options include interchangeable hoods and diffusers in multiple sizes and designs, along with novel mounting arms in arch, deco, yoke, post top and swooped s

UK road users receive a mere £4 billion in capital investment, and congestion increases. Road pricing could provide the roads needed and reduce taxes, says a new report UK motorists receive a "paltry" £4 billion (€5 billion) investment in road capacity in return for the €57.5 billion a year they contribute in road user taxes, according to the 2008/9 Road File, published by the UK Road Users Alliance (RUA). Over the last decade, this infrastructure spend has led to a minimal 1% increase in the road network t

How will the deep cuts hitting France's national budget affect French roads and highways? Gordon Feller discusses France has one of the most modern transport systems in Europe, the result of decades of public spending on the sector as well as other infrastructure. The government historically has awarded contracts to build infrastructure to French construction and engineering companies, some of which are now among the world's largest contractors. Among other achievements, France's infrastructure programme re