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The British government’s decision to cut back hard on its highways maintenance spending plans will severely degrade the quality of local roads across the UK and risk driving up the long-term costs for the country’s hard-pressed local authorities, the National Audit Office has warned in a new report out this month entitled “Funding for local transport.” The NAO has also told the UK’s ministers that they must be much clearer about who they think should take forward the decision-making process once the devolut

The Spanish construction company Ferrovial has completed its US $ 1.40 billion (€1.08bn) works on the SH-130 motorway in Texas (US). The company is preparing a bid for further work in the US state by competing for the contract to build the IH-35 in Dallas while, at the same time, completing further works on two other key Texas road projects: the NTE (North Tarrant Express) Highway; and the Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway (Interstate 635).

IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) director Neil Greig said “much more” needed to be done to sustain an encouraging drop in the latest published quarterly road casualty statistics for the UK. The latest Department for Transport figures revealed 400 people were killed in road accidents in Britain between April-June 2012 – down 18% than the 487 killed over the same period of 2011. The total number of casualties was 47,880 between April-June 2012, a fall of 7% on the 51,580 in Q2 2011.

Concern has been expressed over recidivist motorists in Europe who continue to flout seatbelt laws, despite strong evidence that they risk serious injury or death. According to recent police safety data, results from a recent pan-European seatbelt control operation show that nearly 100,000 drivers and passengers were detected not wearing seatbelts. A total of 25 countries took part in the operation, which was co-ordinated by the European Traffic Police Network (TISPOL). Of the final total of 97,489 detectio

Bidding is strong for work on a key section of the Moscow to St Petersburg highway. Several offers have been made for the project, which will connect the Businovskaya and MKAD junction to Festivalnaya Street, and a junction of Festivalnaya Street and MKAD. Both Mostotrest and ARKS are tendering for the work. The tender results will be announced on 20th November 2012. The authorities have stated that the contract price should not exceed US$946 million.

The culmination of extensive deliberation and work over the past few years by IRF Geneva’s Policy Committee on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), The IRF Vienna Manifesto on ITS – Smart Transport Policies for Sustainable Mobility will be the object of a high-profile launch during the forthcoming 19th ITS World Congress, to be held in the Austrian capital from 22-26 October 2012. The Manifesto brings together key policy arguments for investing in ITS as well as a set of supporting policy recommendations.