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Clearer road markings influence driver behaviour
July 12, 2012
Research into driver behaviour has identified that driver safety and decision-making can be positively influenced by clearer and higher performing road markings. Patrick Smith reports. Bare roads will lead to total vehicular confusion. Markings are painted on the road to direct, guide and regulate the road user, and include all lines patterns, words and colours applied on or attached to the road surface or kerb for these purposes.
IRF calls for action on road traffic noise
July 12, 2012
According to the European Union Directive 2002/49/EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise (END), the Member States of the European Union have committed to abide by a strict timetable of milestones and deliverables, all aimed at reducing current levels of noise and improving the life of Europe's citizens. As part of this overall strategy, European leaders were required to submit national noise action plans by 18 January of this year, targeting major roads and all agglomerations wi
Study reveals Warsaw as Europe’s most congested city
July 12, 2012
Vehicle GPS provider TomTom is revealing details of a study into traffic congestion it had carried out across Europe. This quarterly Congestion Index involves studies of 31 major European cities with populations of over 800,000. According to the study, Poland’s capital Warsaw suffers the worst traffic congestion of any European city. For the UK, the Leeds-Bradford are has come out as the most congested area. Drivers in the Yorkshire conurbation spend an average 86hours/year stuck in traffic jams according t
Innovative traffic solution
July 12, 2012
A partnership between AirSage and Citilabs has announced Cube Cloud, which is claimed to be the world’s first cloud-based traffic analytics solution. Using AirSage’s cell phone signal analysis data, Cube Cloud combines the convenience of an online solution with accurate population movement data to deliver efficient transportation analysis and modelling.
US increased transportation budget proposals
July 12, 2012
IRF's Washington Programme Centre provides an update on some latest developments in the 2010 Budget plan There has been further recent action from both Congress and the White House on budget plans that will guide the Transportation Reauthorization Bill for the next six years. On 7 May, President Obama proposed large increases for rail and highways in his 2010 Budget plan, including the largest amount of funding that any President has sought for Amtrak, or for the development of high-speed rail in the Unite
UK sees accidents rise
July 12, 2012
Fifty local councils in England saw more than a ten per cent increase in killed and seriously injured (KSI) crash rates between 2010 and 2011, according to an Institute for Advanced Motorists (IAM) analysis of the new road accident figures. The biggest increases in KSI numbers were in St Helens – 62 per cent, Portsmouth – 57 per cent, Stoke on Trent – 57 per cent, and Coventry – 51 per cent. A further 76 councils saw increases in the KSI rate above the national average of two per cent.
Asphalt reinforcement extends road life
July 12, 2012
Special reinforcements can extend the life of an old or new road, and also offer environmental benefits. Patrick Smith reports. Asphalt reinforcement can extend the service life of a resurfaced road by a factor of 3-4, says Huesker, developers of the HaTelit range of asphalt reinforcement. Aimed at preventing the propagation of reflective cracking from an old asphalt layer through a new surface course, Huesker claims the formation of reflective cracking is considerably delayed or even completely prevented u
RSTA appoints new chief executive
July 12, 2012
The UK Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA) has appointed Dr Howard Robinson as its new chief executive, taking over the role from retiring consultant director John Baxter. Dr Robinson, a well-known figure in the highway surfacing sector, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the RSTA having spent 25 years in the aggregates, asphalt and bitumen industries, with a number of blue chip companies, at senior management level. He was previously technical director at Wimpey Minerals and more recentl
Tough CO2 targets for Europe’s car manufacturers
July 12, 2012
Following the adoption yesterday of the European Commission's proposals to reduce CO2 emissions from cars and vans, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) says it will now work with its members to conduct a full analysis of how the proposed targets should be reached as well as their feasibility, and what this means in practice for the industry as a whole. The auto industry shares concerns about global warming and is contributing actively to find sustainable solutions. In 2011, the average
Key Chinese highway projects are planned
July 12, 2012
A series of key road and highway projects will boost China’s network. A series of rural roads will be constructed in Tibet autonomous region, with the investment totalling some US$1.9 billion. The plan is to build a total of 24,157km of rural roads and the investment will be made from 2012-2013. Meanwhile work is also commencing on a new highway in Fujian Province. The 74km southeast section of the Fuzhou Raocheng highway is expected to cost $1.98 billion to construct. An agreement over the project has been