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Engineering and technology must remain a long-term priority for the UK Government, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has said in response to Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. Among Tory Chancellor George Osborne’s many eye-catching announcements in yesterday’s key Autumn Statement were the pledge of a US$613.45 billion [£375 billion] investment in energy, transport, communications, and water projects; £40 million [$65.43 million] funding for 20,000 more Higher Apprenticeships; the scrapping

A series of road improvements and investments will improve connections in Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. The World Bank is offered the Ugandan Government a loan of US$400 million to rebuild roads in Kamdini and Tororo-Soroti-Lira. This funding will allow contractors to carry out road maintenance on the roads for 7-10 years, with work scheduled to start in 18 months. Meanwhile a deal worth $335.76 million has signed by the Tanzanian Government for the second phase of the Road Sector Support Project (RSSP-II

Pan-European police body TISPOL is working on key road safety initiatives that will help reduce the incidence of crashes, deaths and injuries. In this video Bernd Heller of TISPOL Germany explains key areas under focus for the joint sharing initiative for the group members. He said that in Germany, speed enforcement, and seatbelt enforcement are being placed as a priority, while in the Netherlands there is a focus on risk ratings. Meanwhile in Slovakia, police are looking closely at the new directive on cro

Road safety continues to improve in Europe, with official statistics for 2012 showing a drop in fatalities of 2,661 compared with the figures for 2011. The latest data from Pan-European police body TISPOL shows an encouraging trend towards better road safety, highlighting improvements right across the EU. In 2012, a total of 27,700 people were killed in road crashes in the European Union’s 27 member states, equivalent to 55 people/million inhabitants. This was the lowest road fatality rate so far recorded s

The Colombian authorities have plans in hand for a US$240 million highway upgrade project. In all, 10 groups have been pre-selected for the tender process for the work, according to a report by Business News Americas. The project is for upgrades and improvements to a 173km stretch of the Puerta de Hierro-Cruz del Viso highway. This work includes improvements to access roads in the area, which lies in Colombia’s northern Sucre, Bolívar and Atlántico departments. The country’s infrastructure agency, ANI, has

The UK Government has released its National Infrastructure Plan 2013 (NIP2013) at an event held in London at the Institution of Civil Engineers (CIHT). The National Infrastructure Plan 2013 sets out the UK Government’s vision and strategic objectives for infrastructure by assessing the needs, now and in the future, setting out a policy approach, identifying priority projects and providing a plan for delivery. The scheme will fund improvements to the A50 around Uttoxeter starting no later than 2015 to 2016,

The Ammann Group is changing its operations in the UK and Ireland. The firm is retaining sales and service support for its asphalt plant business within its existing subsidiary Ammann UK. However the firm is selling the compaction machine sales and support business to AY Equipment in a management buyout arrangement that involves a share deal. This move makes AY Equipment the Ammann dealer for the entire range of Ammann compaction products, including sales, maintenance and spare parts services, for the UK an

Data for Dubai and Riyadh being used in a keenly awaited Siemens IC MOL commissioned study into transport mobility in more than 35 cities around the world will be released to journalists during a press conference in Dubai on Sunday 8 December. Compiled, independently, by leading strategy consultants Credo, the full report titled ‘World Transport Mobility’ compares transport mobility in some of the world’s largest cities and discusses how they are positioned to improve their transport systems. The study use

World Highways does have a strong readership across all ages – photo courtesy of reader Achiel Sturm

Slovakia's Parliament has approved the new law on e-toll, replacing the use of traditional motorway stickers with electronic ones. The new regulation will come into force on 1 January 2015. The price of the motorway stickers, which motorists will be able to purchase online or through petrol stations, will not increase. The Transport Ministry intends to call the tender for the provider of the virtual vignettes within the next few weeks. In 2013, the national motorway company NDS printed more than 3.3 million

A Mexican consortium comprised of Pinfra, Grupo Bursátil Mexicano and Aldesa Mexico has secured a concession to build, operate and maintain the Siglo XXI highway concession in Morelos state, according to the transport and communications ministry, SCT. Around US$211 million (2.76 billion pesos) will be invested in the 62km highway over the next two years. Five companies, including OHL Mexico, are reported to have bid for the concession, with the Pinfra consortium presenting one of the lowest bids. This is

Montreal’s Champlain Bridge will be replaced by 2018, according to the Canadian federal government. The government pledge is three years earlier than the original plans to replace the landmark structure. The new US$ 4.71 billion (CAD 5 billion) toll bridge is to be constructed through a public-private partnership and the procurement process is set to commence in spring 2014. Poul Ove Jensen has been selected by the government to design the replacement Champlain Bridge which, with its almost 160,000 daily

German municipalities may soon be allowed to issue special rules giving drivers of electric cars and other low-emission vehicles priority parking status. A draft proposal has been issued by the Bundesrat, the second chamber of the German parliament, to the first chamber, the Bundestag. Currently, only disabled people and local residents enjoy any kind of vehicle parking privileges. According to the proposal, local authorities could, for instance, free electric cars from parking fees and forbid parking of