News

Philippines US$1.54bn road-rail project to start in 2014
April 23, 2014
Universal LRT Corp (ULC), the concessionaire for the MRT-7 Light Rail and Road Project in the Philippines, is expected to commence works on the project this year. ULC has said that the proposed investment in the project, due for completion by mid-2018, has been increased from US$1.24 billion to $1.54 billion. Works will be undertaken by Marubeni of Japan. A 22km six-lane highway from San Jose del Monte City to North Luzon Expressway will form a key part of the project.
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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
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Legal step for Czech tunnel project
April 23, 2014
The torturous legal case regarding the stalled Blanka Tunnel project in the Czech Republic has taken one step forward. An arbitration court in the country has ruled that the tunnel has to be completed within five months' time. The construction work was halted earlier due to a dispute between the contractor and the city authorities. The tunnel is required to help reduce traffic congestion in the Czech capital Prague with work having commenced in 2007. The project was originally supposed to be ready for traff
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Study reveals poor road safety for Middle East
April 23, 2014
Road safety in the Middle East continues to decline, according to the latest data available. There were 945,000 road crashes in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in 2012, a rise from the 853,700 in 2011 according to a recent study. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have particularly poor records for road safety. Saudi Arabia had 589,258 crashes in 2012 while Qatar had 252,614 crashes in the same period. In particular, Saudi Arabia is said to have 19.1 road fatalities/day, on average, based on figures from the General
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Help for US agencies’ to use new tool to boost concrete pavement quality
April 23, 2014
In a bid to reduce costs, increase pavement quality, and minimise travel delays caused by road construction, the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and the Transportation Research Board (TRB) are to help agencies implement a tool that allows contractors to identify concrete pavement surface irregularities during construction. Real-time pavement smoothness has been selected for guided implementation under the second Stra
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bauma China 2014 attracting strong exhibitor numbers
April 23, 2014
Although the pace of growth on the Chinese market is slower than previous years, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is still predicting China’s GDP to expand by 7.3% in 2014. Organisers of this year’s keenly awaited bauma China exhibition have noted this positive growth forecast and say it is reflected in the near 2,200 exhibitors who have already signed up to showcase their products during the event in Shanghai from November 25-28. The exhibitor figure is around 200 more than at the same point ahead of
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European Parliament backs rules revision to promote safer lorries
April 23, 2014
The European Parliament has voted to support revised rules on the dimensions of heavy goods vehicles aimed at enabling manufacturers to produce safer lorries. The legislation will, it is claimed, create cabs with improved visibility, reducing the risk of accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists in urban areas. Antonio Avenoso, executive director of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), said, “This legislation is a step forward because it will enable innovative new designs that include crumple
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reVUE publish White Paper on reducing risk on UK roads
April 23, 2014
reVUE, a Manchester, UK-based risk management company providing evidence based driver intervention training, has published a White Paper on the impact of combining technology and behavioural coaching to reduce risk on Britain’s roads. The firm recently commissioned a research project which produced encouraging findings in relation to the impact of an in-vehicle recording device on improving driver behaviour. This was said to be particularly prevalent when implemented with a corresponding coaching intervent
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Turkish trans-continental tunnel to tie Asia and Europe
April 22, 2014
Excavation work is in hand for the Eurasia Tunnel in Turkey. South Korean contractor SK Engineering and Construction (SK E&C) is carrying out the excavation work as part of a BOT contract. The project is costing some US$1.24 billion and the 5.4km tunnel will provide a new trans-continental connection between the towns of Goztepe and Kazlicesme when it opens in 2017. Running below the Bosporus Strait, the tunnel is expected to reduce the travel time to 15 minutes from the current 100 minutes. The Eurasia Tun
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New Malaysian highway to cut congestion
April 22, 2014
The new Kinrara-Damansara Skyway (Kidex) being planned for Malaysia is expected to help reduce traffic congestion. A study carried out by SKM-CB Colin Buchanan-Sinclair Knight Merz in 2011 indicated that the highway will be able to lower travelling time between Damansara and Kinrara by 25%. Meanwhile the volume of traffic in both directions from Puchong to Petaling Jaya will be lessened by 50%. From Taman Tun Dr Ismail, from Bandar Utama to Petaling Jaya and from the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), traf
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Key developments in electric vehicle segment
April 22, 2014
A series of key developments will boost the market presence of the electric vehicle worldwide. China is particular looks set to develop its presence in the sector, partly in a bid to reduce the country’s urban pollution problems. A new electric vehicle developed in partnership between Daimler Benz and Chinese firm BYD Automotive looks set to be launched in September 2014. The DENZA model has been developed outside of Germany to meet market needs for China. Customers for the vehicle will benefit from subsidi
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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
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Hyundai Construction Equipment strengthens partnership with Cummins
April 17, 2014
Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas has said that Cummins Tier 4 Final engines will make their appearance in Hyundai machines in the “near future.” The news follows both companies’ recent launches at ConExpo-Con/Agg in Las Vegas, USA, where Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas continued its partnership with Cummins by enhancing its new 9A series product lines with Cummins Tier 4 Interim engines. Hyundai exhibited many of the 9A wheeled loader and excavator models. “Cummins state-of-the-art eng
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Faroe Islands to have two new subsea tunnels by 2024
April 17, 2014
The Faroe Islands will have two new toll-financed subsea tunnels by 2024 after the Løgting parliament approved the Islands’ biggest ever public construction project. One of the tunnels, Eysturoyartunnelen, will connect the islands of Eysturoy and Streymoy, and the other, Sandoyartunnelen, will connect islands of Streymoy and Sandoy. The estimated cost of the tunnels are €140.63 million (DKK 1.05 billion) and €115.18 million (DKK 860 million) respectively.
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Two consortia bid for US$924.84mn Colombia highway concession
April 17, 2014
Two consortia have bid for Colombia's US$924.84 million (COP 1.79 trillion) Conexión Pacífico 1 highway concession, the first project under the Autopistas para la Prosperidad program and part of the country's fourth generation (4G) of concessions. There were 10 prequalified consortia and the two to submit bids were Autopista Conexión Pacífico I, comprised of local firm Estudios y Proyectos del Sol (Episol) and Spain's Iridium, and Infraestructura Vial de Colombia, comprised of Colombian firms Carlos Albe
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