Skip to main content
  • 25775 results found

Search

Milan wins prestigious ITF transport award for its urban road pricing scheme
May 20, 2014
The Italian city of Milan has won the 2014 Transport Achievement Award (TAA) for its ‘Area C’ urban road pricing scheme. The TAA is awarded annually by the International Transport Forum (ITF) at the OECD, an intergovernmental organisation for the transport sector with 54 member countries. The award will be presented tomorrow in the presence of ministers from around the world during the opening plenary of their global transport summit organised by the ITF. Milan, said by the ITF to be one of the most c
Scottish application for SMA surfacing technology
May 20, 2014
A new Scottish specification for stone mastic asphalt could help with some of the durability issues sometimes experienced in the UK An alternative specification for stone mastic asphalt has been used on the A90 in Scotland, with tests suggesting that the material will be more durable than thin surfacing produced under the standard UK specification, Clause 942 of the Specification for Highway works.
Warm mix use in the US and Czech Republic is strong
May 20, 2014
The Czech Republic has seen its first ever use of warm mix produced using additive Evotherm - and a survey carried out in the US shows that warm mix is still on the rise there - Kristina Smith reports The troubled Blanka Tunnel in Prague will see the Czech Republic’s first ever use of Evotherm warm mix asphalt (WMA) technology. The 6km tunnel is the longest urban motorway tunnel in Europe and will take the north-west section of the city ring road below ground. Designed as dual carriageway throughout w
India’s longest road tunnel continues apace with Atlas Copco support
May 20, 2014
The challenging construction of India’s largest road tunnel is part of a vital US$500 million project aiming to connect the isolated northern state of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the vast and highly populated country. Guy Woodford reports Travelling on National Highway 1A (NH 1A) in northern India should be the dictionary definition of ordeal. The single lane, narrow and winding road crosses some of the steepest, most treacherous terrain on the planet. The arduous route becomes especially difficult t
Sandvik’s Turkish delight at groundbreaking tunnel vision
May 20, 2014
Turkey’s longest, and what will be the world’s fourth longest, highway tunnel is being built under Mount Ovit in the northeast of the country. Sandvik Construction is playing a vital role in the construction of the giant new structure, which will enable all-year-round access to what is a relatively remote and often snow-blocked part of Anatolia Having had their freedom of movement blighted for many years by wintertime snow blocking the D925 highway, along with narrower roads and passes, at Mount Ovit, resi
Trio of manufacturers release cutting-edge hybrid excavators
May 19, 2014
A trio of leading global construction equipment manufacturers have released innovative hybrid excavators. Guy Woodford reports on the new models Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) has launched the first of a new generation of excavators, the ZH210LC-5 hybrid. The latest innovative Zaxis-5 model has been designed to deliver reliable performance with fewer emissions and less fuel than the ZX210-3 model.
CPA publishes new ‘Competence to Operate Construction Plant’ guidance document
May 19, 2014
A new Strategic Forum Plant Safety Group guidance document on ‘Competence to Operate Construction Plant’ has been published by the UK-based CPA (Construction Plant-hire Association). The new ‘Competence to Operate Construction Plant’ document aims to clarify methods for employers to manage, develop and record employees' competences to operate all types of plant. The HSE and CITB were key participants, alongside a wide range of other organisations. The guidance covers management of training and management o
Kobelco targets growth in North America and Europe after re-entering markets
May 19, 2014
Kobelco Construction Machinery Group is expecting strong sales in North America and Europe in the 2014 financial year after recently re-entering both key markets after a decade-long absence. Consolidated net domestic sales in Japan in 2013 financial year (April 2013-March 2014) were up 29.2% year-on-year to US$1.362 billion (138.3 billion yen), with overseas sales at $1.771 billion (179.9 billion yen), a year-on-year increase of 11.9%. The ratio of overseas sales to consolidated net sales decreased slightl
Tailgating and speeding common safety issue on UK’s roads
May 19, 2014
Research carried out in the UK suggests that safety problems such as tailgating and speeding are common on UK motorways. According to the survey carried out jointly by road safety body Brake and insurance firm Direct Line, 57% of UK drivers admit to tailgating while 60% admit breaking the speed limit by 16km/h (10mph) or more. Male drivers are far the worst offenders however.
ERF sets out plans for 2014 symposium
May 19, 2014
The road infrastructure sector, in its strive to deliver better products for its customers, such as road authorities, has worked hard to develop innovative solutions. These are intended to be more durable, making them more cost-effective in the long-run, and also more environmentally friendly. In its efforts, however, it has often been frustrated by a rigid legal framework that leaves little room for manoeuvre to its customers. Until last year, existing rules for public procurement at EU level gave almost u