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Several key new road links will be built in Bolivia following the investment of US$150 million by the country’s road authority, Administradora Boliviana de Carreteras (ABC). The construction work will centre on Chuquisaca with work planned on some 302km of new roads. The work will include the 46.5km Sucre-Ravelo stretch, which is expected to cost $30 million, while work on the 68km Zudanez-Padilla road is expected to cost over $30 million.

A French driver intends to prove the range capabilities of electric vehicles. The man will drive an electric vehicle a distance of 4,800km through Africa from Nairobi on Kenya to Johannesburg in South Africa. The vehicle will be a modified version of a Citroen Berlingo van, converted by a firm called Venturi Automobiles to run on electric power only. The man, Xavier Chevrin, is no stranger to long range trips in electric vehicles. He previously drove from Paris to Almaty in Kazakhstan on an electric scooter

New harmonised standards are being discussed that will allow recharging of electric vehicles across Europe. The move is required as part of a drive to achieve sustainable transport, as standardisation of the connection between the electricity grid and electric vehicles will help e-mobility gain a viable market share. A single harmonised plug system is needed for the recharging of electric vehicles on both the vehicle and the infrastructure sides. Various motoring and industry associations are involved in th

Nigeria’s Gombe state government of Gombe has awarded road contracts worth US$119 million. The contracts are for 51 road projects and include building 19 roads in the state capital, 12 township roads and a 17km section of the Gona-Garin Galadima-Tukulma road.

The authorities in the Brazilian state of Parana are working on plans to improve roads and related infrastructure. During the 2012-2013 financial year the state authorities will invest close to US$617 million to improve roads and related infrastructure. The PERC state programme for road construction and maintenance has a budget of $415 million and is intended to improve road condition and boost safety. Around $202.4 million will be used to improve road surfaces, with $143 million being used for maintenance

Huge commercial opportunities for major construction equipment manufacturers sparked by large investment in new and existing Russian transport infrastructure attracted 20% more visitors and 15% more exhibitors to CTT 2012/CONEXPO Russia. Major global brands such as JCB, John Deere, Volvo Construction Equipment (CE), Komatsu, Liebherr, and Wirtgen were among the 911 construction equipment companies from 28 countries present for the five-day event covering more than 124,000m² at the IEC Crocus Expo in Moscow

Shanghai Construction has secured the US$248.8million engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build Cambodia’s No 6 road. The Cambodian Ministry of Public Works and Transport awarded contract is expected to start in 2013, and will take 42 months to complete.

Every tenth car accident in Germany, Austria and Switzerland relates to driver distraction, according to a new survey. Further findings of the survey titled ‘Distraction in Traffic’ by the ACT Allianz Center for Technology in Munich, Germany found that more than 25% of drivers work on their styling, clothing and body care behind the wheel. People are particularly prone to engaging in body care while driving to work. Altogether 27% of respondents to the survey admitted to sometimes doing one or more of these

Ecuador’s Ministry of Transport and Public Works (MTOP) has signed a contract with World Bank blacklisted China Road and Bridges Corp (CRBC) to carry out road projects worth a combined US$55.52million. CRBC has been blacklisted by the World Bank since January 2009 for acts of corruption in the Philippines. It means CRBC cannot enter any tenders which involve WB funds until 12 January, 2017. CRBC will also take part in the Manta port tender, which will be awarded in January 2013.