News

The Nepalese government is introducing smart licences and embossed vehicle number plates from the 2012/2013 fiscal year which begins in July, 2012. The new initiative to use a uniform number plate with unique security features will greatly enhance enforcement of vehicle registration compliance and also make it easier to identify and take action on traffic offences

Loans worth at least US$110 million will help fund road projects in Nicaragua in agricultural areas. The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) will provide Nicaragua with a short term loan of close to $61 million for a series of improvements to the national road network, some 11 sections overall. A further $50 million is already available, with another $11 million due in the week commencing 23 November 2011. In addition an extra $50 million will come from the World Bank (WB) and CABEI for r

US states are being urged by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to ban drivers from using mobile phones and other electronic devices. The NTSB's call comes after an investigation by the agency noted an increasing number of road accidents caused by distractions.

Spanish contractor Sacyr is to work on two major highway projects in Chile in Concepcion and Iquique, as well as a 78km road in the Tarapaca region. The firm will finance the work using a loan of US$390 million from Chilean financial services company CorpBanca. The 78km road will cost $113 million, while $276 million will be spent on the work linking Concepcion and Cabrero.

South Korean contractor Hyundai Engineering looks set to win the deal to build Kuwait’s Subiya Causeway project. The award of the deal for this massive US$2.6 billion project has been delayed several times so far but is now on track to be awarded by the end of 2011. It still requires parliamentary approval but has been given approval from Kuwait's Central Tenders Committee (CTC). Hyundai Engineering submitted its bid, the lowest of several made, for the project in February 2011.

Bechtel-Enka's Kosovo highway project has won the top prize in the Bechtel's own 2011 Green Footprint Awards for environmental achievements. The Bechtel-Enka joint venture project team was praised by judges for the campaign to reduce, reuse and recycle waste, which was unprecedented in the local area.

According to a report by ACI and Istat, the number of accidents involving two-wheeled vehicles in Italy fell 9% year-on-year in 2010 to 74,367 incidents. The number of deaths has fallen 20% since 2007, although 103 motorcyclists were killed by collisions with fixed objects.

In Kosovo, work is pushing ahead of schedule on the Route 7 highway to link capital Pristina with the Albanian border. Sections of the 120km highway have been opened, one year ahead of schedule. An official opening of several sections of the highway has been carried out by Kosovan leaders, including Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi, President Atifete Jahjaga, and members of Parliament, along with Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha and US representatives Eliot Engel (D- NY) and Gary Peters (D-MI) joined thousan

Montenegro is to start work on a new highway project in cooperation with neighbouring Bosnia. The countries will work together on the Podgorica-Sarajevo highway and the two projects will be discussed by the governments of both countries soon. Meanwhile in nearby Serbia, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy has held discussion with the World Bank (WB) regarding a new loan of €100 million for construction of the Corridor 10 motorway.

A key agreement between the Sudanese Government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will see a new bridge being built in South Sudan. The US$90 million bridge will measure 560m long and will span the River Nile. A seven month feasibility study has already been carried out into the project for Sudan’s road and bridges ministry and construction is expected to take three years to complete. JICA has agreed to give technical assistance although it is not clear at this stage whether funding will

Cost increases are being seen on work to the second phase of Bolivia’s Villa Tunari-San Ignacio de Moxos road project. The work looks likely to cost an extra US$250 million as the route will have to avoid the TIPNIS national reserve. The Bolivian Government made the decision to reroute the highway following appeals from the country’s indigenous community. However coca farmers are now appealing against this ruling, while farmers in neighbouring Brazil are also requesting guarantees on land use relating to th

Plans are in hand for a new road tunnel project at Kunming City in China’s Yunnan Province. The Kunming Transportation Bureau has signed a deal with Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co for the underwater tunnel and expressway project, which is worth US$1.31 billion. The project will be constructed on a build-operate-transfer basis. The new link will have a designed speed of 80km/h for the underground section and 100km/h for the sections on surface. The 25km project has been approved by the provincial development

Efkon and its advertising agency Rubikon have received the international WebAward from the Web Marketing Association for the development of the company's website.Now in its 15th year, the WebAward is the association's way of recognising the world's best Internet solutions.

Safety campaigners in the UK have reacted with concern following the release of a study showing 53% of drivers tailgate while travelling at speed on motorways. There has been an increase in the problem of tailgating over the last seven years since a similar study was carried out, showing 49% of drivers were guilty of this dangerous practice. The study was carried out jointly by road safety body Brake and insurance firm Direct Line. Men are particularly likely to tailgate, with the study revealing 30% of mal

The Chinese authorities are keen to encourage the development of a market for electric vehicles. The country’s State Council is drafting a plan intended to boost sales of electric vehicles as well as the development of new models. Included in the plans is the development of a charging infrastructure system.