Search

In the US, a mother became her son’s partner in crime by acting as his getaway driver following a street robbery. After the son stole a pensioner’s wallet, the mother drove him away from the scene of the crime. The son did tell his mother what he had just done, as the not-so-daring duo drove away. The mother refused to let officers search their home, explaining that her son had thrown away the empty wallet, having spent the US$40 it had contained. The son was charged with robbery.

Around 7,000 extra potholes are to be repaired across Staffordshire as part of a €2.5 million (£2.1 million) package of investment in the English county’s roads. Staffordshire County Council is also drafting in two extra pothole-blitzing machines – in addition to the two already out tackling potholes and improving road surfaces in the county. The two extra machines use high velocity patching and can tackle stretches of defects and are particularly effective on more rural, less constructed roads.

Switzerland saw its total number of road accident deaths fall by more than a fifth in 2013, compared to the previous year. In 2013, the country recorded 269 deaths, down by 70 or 21% on the previous year. The number of serious injuries fell by 2% or 73 to 4,129. The number of accidents resulting in injuries reached 17,473. Accidents involving bicycles and motorcycles declined sharply, as the poor weather led people to stay at home.

China’s new longest highway is due to be completed by the end of June 2014. Around 97% of Xinjiang region's 428.9km Aksu-Kashgar highway is said to have been completed to date. The new route will eventually cost just over US$2 billion (CNY 12.3 billion) and is scheduled to open at the end of September 2014.

Moroccan road development fund CFR (Caisse pour le Financement Routier) is to receive a US$206.96 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The funds will be used for road modernisation in order to reduce congestion and improve the safety of road users. Around 30 sites will be modernised and 1,650km of roads will be widened.

Spanish construction firm Sacyr is set to invest around US$1.5 billion in Colombian road concession projects. The country is regarded as an ideal recipient for foreign investment. Current Sacyr projects in Colombia include a bridge costing $40.11 million (COP 80 billion), as well as the $116.79 million (COP 233 billion) road scheme between Buenaventura-Loboguerrero. The country has embarked on a major road development programme, via serious and transparent processes, according to Sacyr.

Vietnam’s government has secured an ODA (Overseas Development Agency) financial support package worth US$844.95 million (JPY 86.4 billion) for four infrastructure projects in the country. A total of $179.75 million (JPY 18.4 billion) of the package will go to Ho Chi Minh City-Dau Giay Highway that is scheduled for completion in July 2016, while another $165.1 million (JPY 16.9 billion) is allocated for Tan Vu-Lach Huyen Road, set to open in early 2017.

Jejudo Island in South Korea wants all vehicles used on the island to be electric by 2030. The province is working towards adding over 500 electric vehicles in use in 2014, while the number of fast and slow-charging vehicles is set to be increased by 21 and 500, respectively, said Kang Dong-woo, section chief of the smart grid office under the provincial administration.

A new hitch-hiking function has been added to the speed-check warning application belonging to the Polish firm Yanosik. Potential hitch-hikers log into the new Yanosik Autostop function using Facebook, after which drivers are notified about them at the same time as receiving traffic and radar warnings. The Yanosik app is currently available free of charge on Google Play for Android system users.

Qatar is preparing to launch a variety of road, bridge and other infrastructure development projects worth US$65 billion. The President of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority, Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, said these included high-profile megaprojects worth $30 billion. Al Attiyah said that as well as roads and bridges, the development projects also involve the railway network, stadia, water and electricity, urban development and hotels.