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More than 500 million people worldwide watched the first Formula 1 motor race in India's history. The drivers were thrilled by the new asphalt circuit with its numerous bends and the peripheral area around the new race track at Greater Noida near the capital New Delhi, which were built by machinery from German company Vögele (a member of the Wirtgen Group).

Road safety in Romania continues to be a major issue, with the country seeing more deaths in 2009 than in 2001. A study by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) shows that Romanian roads are eight times more dangerous than similar links in Sweden, which has Europe’s best record for road safety (see also Safety Report). Romania, along with Malta, has bucked a trend within Europe of reducing road accidents levels between 2001 and 2009 according to the report. However, while Malta’s road fatality rate

Private sector companies in the UK are preparing to aid local authorities deal with the effects of government spending cuts on roads. Mike Notman, outgoing chairman of the UK's top trade body for road maintenance, Highways Term Maintenance Association (HTMA), has warned that repairs and improvements to the nation's roads is an easy target for the coalition government, and claimed that private sector companies could reduce costs by as much as 15%.

Deere & Company plans to build two new factories in Brazil to meet growing market demand for its construction equipment products in Brazil and other South American countries. The total investment is approximately US$180 million with Deere investing approximately $124 million of the total.

Poland’s government plans to boost highways spending in 2011 with a budget of €8.72 billion, an increase of €3.73 billion over the budget set for 2010. However, there is some scepticism as to how such a substantial sum will be found, especially given the spending restrictions the country is already seeing.

David Ball, chairman of the David Ball Group (incorporating PUDLO), has been elected president of the Concrete Society, taking over the role from Professor Ravindra Dhir. A society member for 15 years and a director since 2005, he also heads its International Development Group, and is keen to drive development as president.

The centre of Brussels, the Belgian capital, has become a 30km/hour speed limit zone. At 4.6km², it is now one of the largest such zones in Europe and its introduction coincided with European Mobility Week (16-22 September). The entire area within Brussels’ Ring Road will be restricted to 30km/hour for all vehicles except trams. An exception will be made for four wide lanes awaiting redevelopment. Traffic signs will be posted at all access routes, and drivers will be reminded of the speed limit with roa

Powerscreen is restructuring its distribution channel in Russia with the appointment of one dealer covering all of the European part of Russia, including Federal Districts 1,2,3,4 and the Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk Oblasts. The mobile crushing, screening and washing equipment provider will be represented in European Russia by Kwintmadi, part of the JVM Group.

CNH Danmark has chosen a newly-formed subsidiary of Helms Holding, Conmac, as an importer for the full product range of Case Construction Equipment in Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. “Final arrangements for a new dealer network structure are currently being put in place and this brings great advantages for sales and service of our Case Construction equipment range in Denmark,” says Markus Meyer, business director of Case Construction Denmark. Kristian Helms, a part owner of Helms TMT-Centret and

Malta National Laboratory (MNL) has asked the UK’s TRL to help it establish a construction materials testing facility. This will allow MNL to become an independent test house on the island, and it will then be able to undertake testing of road materials to the required international standards. A team of TRL experts with extensive knowledge of civil engineering materials testing and pavement materials technology and design, as well as large-scale project management skills, will deliver the project in two p

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Wen Jiabao, Premier of the People’s Republic of China, recently visited the Herrenknecht plant in Guangzhou as part of her trip to China. The delegation included, among others, 20 high-level representatives of German industry, and Dr Martin Herrenknecht, chairman of Herrenknecht, presented the company to Chancellor Merkel and Premier Wen, and talked about important Chinese and international reference projects.

News that the Czech Republic’s Transport Ministry will halt work to just four road building projects has come as a relief to several major contractors. The industry had feared much tougher budget savings would be imposed, resulting in road projects in double figures being suspended or cancelled. The projects being halted will be a section of the I/9 road near Ceska Lipa; the Ostrava-Opava stretch of the I/11 road and two connections to the D1 highway in the Ostrava region.

Serbia should invest €1.5 billion a year over the next 20 years in order to finish all capital projects, which include road and railway Corridor 10, Corridor 11, the Danube (water) Corridor 7 and bridges in Novi Sad and Belgrade. Investments of €22 billion in infrastructure are planned in the next 17 years.

A leading used construction equipment auctioneer firm boss believes equipment aged between 2 and 4 years is now topping buyers’ ‘wish lists’, as 1 to 2-year-old used stocks deplete. Jonnie Keys, General Manager of Euro Auctions, said that with the cost of new equipment currently up by around 20% on prices in June 2009, the used market is still strong. “Euro Auctions has repeatedly seen over 30% of all plant sold leaving the UK and Europe for projects in Australia, South Africa, South America, Central Ameri

The authorities in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro State intend to invest US$1.55 billion in the road network from now until 2014. Work will be carried out to some 750km of roads with funding being provided by a combination of PPPs and sources such as the World Bank (WB) and the Latin American Development Bank (CAF).

The Indonesian government is committed to developing transport infrastructure leading to the Tanjung Lesung and Sei Mangke special economic zones (SEZs), according to the vice minister of national planning and development Lukita Dinarsyah Tuwo.

The Malaysia authorities are offering four key road projects for tender: a 12km road linking Tanjung Bungah and Teluk Bahang; the 4.2km Gurney Drive-Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu bypass; the 6.5km Penang-Butterworth Tunnel and the 4.6km Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu-Bandar Baru Air Itam bypass. The project is to start in 2015 and has an estimated total value of US$2.55 billion.

Italian asphalt plant manufacturer Bernardi Impianti International and Speedcrafts have signed a licence agreement for the manufacturing of asphalt batching plants in India. The plants will be manufactured on the basis of Bernardi design and technology.

The authorities in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu are working on widening the Kathmandu Valley road, a key project that has already seen the demolition of many structures along its boundary. The take-up of land has been eased by The Road Act, Nepal, which secures the roadside area of 25m on either side of the road on the National Highway.

Two JCB customers have netted a prestigious contract for redeveloping a key stadium for the Brazil 2014 World Cup. AMP Locações and MG Porto have teamed up to provide five JCB machines for the redevelopment of the Governador Plácido Castelo Stadium in the city of Fortaleza, which will host six games in the world’s biggest football tournament.