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The European Commission (EC) is encouraging the Hungarian authorities to implement a congestion charge scheme in capital Budapest by 2015. The move is required so that the Hungarian authorities can repay the EC with loans used to fund the construction a new line for Budapest’s underground metro system. The Hungarian Government earlier failed to pass a proposal to introduce the congestion charge scheme in Budapest but the EC is pushing for this scheme to be implemented by 2015.

A clean vehicle policy is being pursued by the Costa Rican Ministry of Energy and Telecommunications and the Public Transport Council. Under the plan some 4,000 buses and 12,000 taxis in Costa Rica will be run on clean fuels by 2014. Firms running these 16,000 buses and taxis will have to renew their concessions in 2013 and the Costa Rican Ministry of Energy and Telecommunications and the Public Transport Council have developed a policy that will encourage the use of clean fuels as Costa Rica wants to becom

A new tender has been offered for the construction of the Debica-Tarnow section of the A4 motorway in southern Poland. The Polish General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) decided to call a new tender after deciding not to continue working with the consortium of Hydrobudowa, SIAC Construction, PBG, and Aprivia. GDDKiA is reported to have sought a fresh tender due to perceived delays in work on the Debica-Tarnow section. SIAC is said to be prepared to complete the investment, provided GDD

The European Commission is announcing its new engine emission categories as well as the introduction of new stages. The consultation document will include new categories in the directive for non-road mobile machinery engine emissions. New stage IV limits will be proposed for diesel engines with power outputs of less than 19kW and over 560kW, as well as for spark ignition engines. New stages will be introduced for engine power ranges that are already regulated at present, including new stage IV limits for di

Major improvements are planned to tackle a traffic bottleneck on the Northern Road Bridge in Portsmouth, on the English south coast, after the government pledged €13.73 million [£11 million] for the project. The Department for Transport has given final approval to the scheme which will see work on a replacement bridge over the Portsmouth to London railway line at Cosham. The original bridge was built to carry a dual carriageway road but is now too weak to do so. Traffic has been restricted to a single lane

Two key highway projects in Italy are exhibiting good progress at present. Construction work on the new Brescia-Milan highway link is now more than 50% complete. The bridges crossing the Serio, Adda and Oglio rivers are 84% complete, while the underpasses and drainage is 49% ready. Service stations, surveying and foundation work is 40% complete while the remaining operations are progressing. Italian road construction firm Brebemi believes that the highway be will be complete and open to traffic by 31 Decemb

The Sarajevo Ring Road in Bosnia and Herzegovina is expected to be completed by October 2012. The construction of the 5.6km long highway from Josanica to Butila is being carried out by a consortium of companies made up of HP Investing and Strabag. The completed Ring Road will be part of the future Corridor Vc motorway. Bosnia and Herzegovina Federal Minister of Transport and Telecoms, Enver Bijedic, and State Minister of Telecoms and Transport and Director of the roads company JP Ceste FBiH, Filip Vujevo, r

A stimulus package worth over €2 billion is being planned by the Irish Government. This will be used to fund infrastructure projects in the country, including major roads in Wexford and Galway. The package comprises funds from the European Investment Bank (EIB), the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) and the sale of State assets as well as from the public-private partnerships (PPPs). The N11/25 Enniscorthy and New Ross bypasses, and the N17/N18 Gort to Tuam scheme are set to gain also from PPP funding. I

Work on the new Trakiya Highway in Bulgaria is on track, with some 70km already open to traffic. When it is complete, the new highway will link Karnobat and Burgas on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. The final section of the Trakiya Highway, Lot 4, is due for completion in February 2013 and opening this stretch will allow the entire route to be used, reducing travel times between capital Sofia and Burgas.