Brief News

Publication date: 08 June 2009

Polish project finds funds

Funding has now been secured for construction work on two sections of the ring road around Polish capital Warsaw. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is supplying a €565 million loan that will cover nearly 50% of the €1.13 billion investment costs required. The rest of the financing will be provided from the National Road Fund (KFD) and from EU structural funds. This deal is of note as Poland’s highway projects have struggled to find funding in recent months following the banking crisis. The new ring road will reduce current congestion problems in and around the city of Warsaw and improve transport links between Warsaw and other parts of the country.

Source: World Highways

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Safe solution

A new Swedish safety device can reduce risks for pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. The Amparo SeeMe warning system is said to reduce traffic speeds and raise driver awareness for cyclists or at pedestrian crossings. The system links an automatic radio tag carried by the pedestrian or cyclist to trigger solar-powered lights on bus stops or at crossings, to provide warnings to drivers.

The Amparo SeeMe system is now in use across Sweden to boost safety for children travelling to and from school. These are in use in areas north of the Arctic Circle, as well as in three locations in Southern Sweden; near Eslöv, Gothenberg and Uppsala. Evaluations carried out by the Swedish National Road Administration show that SeeMe, when active, reduces the speed of passing vehicles by on average 13km/h.

Amparo Solutions
http://www.amparosolutions.se

Source: World Highways

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Roadblocker world first

Following recent crash tests on its HCR4M1200RB in line with the British Standard PAS68, Heald has announced a world first for a test at MIRA. The Roadblocker was impacted with a 30 tonne truck travelling at 80km/h and not only withstood the impact with zero penetration but also operated afterwards. This is the third test that this particular Roadblocker has successfully undertaken and to the highest PAS68 specification currently available.

According to Heald, the unique design of the Roadblocker is the key to its success. Special crash bars and a sacrificial front radius are incorporated into the design so upon impact these help absorb the force and leave the main body of the blocker intact, maintaining site security. Moreover, Heald says the Roadblocker requires no reinforcement of concrete or pre-casting of the pit, ensuring minimal disruption to the site and surrounding areas.

http://www.heald.uk.com

Source: World Highways