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The ERF has teamed up with the Greek road safety associations to organise the Technical Conference on Road Infrastructure Safety Equipment in Athens this month. The financial crisis took its toll on Greek infrastructure development and by 2011 the government had frozen key motorway projects aimed at completing the Greek Trans-European Road Network. But following lengthy negotiations between Greek authorities, financial institutions and the European Commission, a deal was struck in 2014 to re-launch these im

Overloading of vehicles in the United Kingdom continues to be a serious issue, according to data from the government’s Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA). The report, Annual Effectiveness 2013/2014, documents data on driving offences for heavy and light goods vehicles, public service vehicles and trailers. The number of convictions for overloading heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) was 147, down from 231 in 2012/13 and 166 a year earlier. But overloading rema

VMS innovations offer transportation efficiency gains – David Arminas writes. Baggage truck drivers at the new Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, are now getting real-time imformation and directions on variable message signage. The airport opened last April and will be the first touchdown point for fans attending the football World Cup in Qatar in 2022. The airport is only 4km away from the overused but now redundant Doha International Airport, which will be demolished and redeveloped as an urban p

New compaction machines will meet the latest emission standards for Europe and North America while firms from China are also competing globally - Mike Woof writes. The market for compaction equipment has become very competitive in recent years, most notably in the segment for soil compactors. The major US and European firms have developed more productive machines for use in both developed and developing markets. Meanwhile Chinese manufacturers are also competing in the soil compaction segment for the local

Chinese firms are now gearing up to tackle the quarrying market - Mike Woof writes. One of the key developments of note for the bauma China exhibition in late 2014 was the number of Chinese manufacturers now looking to compete in the quarrying sector. Also of note was how Western manufacturers are also taking the emergent markets seriously, developing machines to counter this increased competition from China. In many cases Western manufacturers have partnered with Chinese firms, bought out Chinese companies

Recycled asphalt use is growing in some markets - David Arminas writes. The use of reclaimed asphalt pavement in the US increased during 2013 after two years of no rise, according the latest report from the US National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA). The report found that more than 73 million tonnes of reclaimed asphalt pavement and 1.7 million tons of reclaimed asphalt roofing shingles were used in new asphalt pavement mixes in the US during in 2013. Using recycled asphalt material saved about $2 bill

Manufacturers are making advances in stabiliser/reclaimers and milling machines - Mike Woof reports. The market for milling equipment is a competitive one, with a range of companies from around the globe now offering machines for this segment: BOMAG, Caterpillar, Dynapac, Roadtec, Volvo CE and Wirtgen. In recent years a number of Chinese firms have entered this segment and determining the number of machines these companies manufacture is difficult, although most of their units are sold in China. But interna

While demand in some parts of Asia is strong, other countries such as China have been suffering from oversupply - World Highways reported from the Argus Asia-Pacific and Middle East Bitumen Conference in Singapore. Asia overtook the Americas as the world’s largest consumer of bitumen in 2012, with China accounting for the lion’s share – nearly two-thirds – of consumption. However, attendees at the Argus Asia-Pacific and Middle East Bitumen Conference held in Singapore on 24th-26th September last year heard

Russia needs polymer-modified bitumen; the UK is embracing US-style pavement preservation technology and gearing up to import more bitumen; and Italy prepares to export innovative modifying technology; plus a look at the market in Asia Pacific and the Middle East – Kristina Smith reports. The Total Group has announced two recent deals which underline the changing bitumen market around the world. In Moscow, it is constructing a new type of polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) plant in joint venture with Gazprom Ne

SANY Road Machinery says that its machines offer customers a very good return on investment - Mike Woof writes. SANY Road Machinery looks set to boost its profile outside of China. The company has been focussed on the Chinese home market in recent years, due to the massive highway expansion programme in the country. However with 80% of the country’s highway construction programme now complete, SANY Road Machinery is looking to further develop its export business. Wang Zuochun is senior vice president at SAN