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Official data provided by Istat and ACI reveals an improvement in Italy’s road safety performance during 2011. According to the information released, fatal road accidents in Italy decreased to around 3,800, a drop of 7.1%. Meanwhile there were 205,000 accidents involving injuries in Italy, a drop of 3%. The rate of fatalities/million people was of 63, just above EU average, while the number of fatalities out of 100 accidents increased from 3.1 to 3.2 on motorways, and went from 5 to 4.8 on large roads and f

US Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-FL) announced recently that House and Senate conferees are concluding a bicameral, bipartisan agreement on a major transportation bill. The measure focuses on unprecedented reforms by cutting red tape and consolidating federal transportation programmes. The tentative agreement establishes federal highway, transit and highway safety policy and keeps programmes at current funding levels through the end of fiscal year 2014. Unlike the last

Road Safety Foundation (RSF) director, Dr Joanne Marden, has urged the government to get road safety policies “back on track” after new official figures revealed the first annual UK road casualty increase for eight years. The figures, contained in a government report titled Reported Road Casualties in Great Britain: 2011, show that the annual number of people killed in road accidents increased by 3% from 1,850 in 2010 to 1,901 in 2011 – the first increase since 2003 despite a levelling off of vehicle traff

Plans are moving ahead for New Zealand's Transmission Gully highway project. The country’s Environmental Protection Agency has given its final approval for the construction of the 27km Transmission Gully project, which is expected to cost in the region of US$732.4 million (NZ$930 million). The project will be the largest road deal in Wellington region since the late 1970s and one of the largest infrastructure projects in New Zealand.

The World Bank (WB) is providing funds worth US$60 million to help Nepal build and repair bridges. The money will be used to build 121 new bridges and maintain 426 existing bridges that provide connections on Nepal’s Strategic Road Network (SRN). This budget has been set under the WB’s lending mechanism, project for result (P4R). The sum will help Nepal tackle repairs to 89 bridges that are in need of urgent major maintenance and 95 that require minor maintenance. Road officials in Nepal are also setting ou

Bidding is opening on a major new highway project in Tunisia. The country’s works ministry is launching an international call to tender for construction of the 180km highway linking Gabès, Médenine and Ras Jedir. Work is expected to last three years and will create 2,000 jobs. The project, which will be completed at the beginning of 2017, is expected to cost over US$631 million in total. The Gabès-Médenine stretch is expected to cost $ 347 million and will be financed by the Tunisian State and the Japanese

Bidding is now open for a key new highway connection in Israel. The tender is for upgrade work on the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem Highway Road 1. Israel National Roads Co (INRC) is upgrading this key link and the tender is for the second stretch of work. So far, INRC received three bids for the contract. The project involves the construction of an interchange at the Neve Ilan intersection. Bids for work on the highway have been submitted by Eyal Sela 1991, Gili and Yoel Azaria as well as Shafir Civil and Marine Engi

The incoming president of the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) has called for the UK to consider banning HGVs from its motorways on Sundays. Richard Hayes, who takes up his new role at the IHE AGM tomorrow, said he will be writing to the Roads Minister, Mike Penning, to request the Department of Transport investigates a possible ban. Hayes said several mainland European Union countries impose restrictions on the times and days when HGVs can be driven on public roads. France, Spain and Italy have a gene

UK construction sector firms are being urged to attend an event outlining commercial opportunities linked to the development of US$140 billion worth of infrastructure projects in Qatar ahead of the Gulf state’s hosting of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. During MEED’s Qatar Infrastructure Projects conference, being held at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in London from July 2-5, Middle East company formation experts The Links Group will provide insight to companies interested in entering the Qatari project market.

The Spectra Precision Laser DDS300 Depth Display System is Trimble’s new laser-referenced grade control solution designed for compact machines. The DDS300 version 3.0 is said by Trimble to be an environmentally-rated control box that boosts productivity of mini-excavators and backhoe loaders during excavation and trenching work. Cable-free components, simple installation and an affordable price are said to make the DDS300 system ideal for contractors who want to improve accuracy, fuel usage and safety of th