Much of the media focus on automation concerns conventional vehicles with some autonomous functions, truck convoys and low speed autonomous pods in urban areas. Full or partial autonomy of construction plant, along with operator assistance is one area where immediate improvements in safety, quality and productivity can be realised. A 2017 report by the McKinsey […]
In 2010, FEHRL launched the Forever Open Road initiative, aiming to reimagine how roads would be designed, constructed, operated and maintained in the future. Addressing global challenges such as ageing infrastructure, congestion, safety and carbon targets, it became apparent that other modes, and particularly rail, faced many of the same challenges. As a response, FEHRL […]
Good quality roads are a vital part of the European transport network, enabling access to employment, education and leisure activities. Despite the large and generally well-maintained network within Europe, there are estimates that daily congestion causes a loss equivalent to 1% of Europe’s GDP, or around €200 billion annually. Coupled with this, future projections suggest […]
FEHRL and Maple Consulting recently organised and participated on a scanning tour to the USA focussing on energy efficiency in transport. Eight European organisations and a partner in the USA visited a range of research institutes, State Departments of Transport and operators to get an understanding of the research, development and implementation of technologies, policies […]
Despite the political and economic shockwaves caused by Brexit, the UK Government remains committed to infrastructure spending and indeed likely sees it as a mechanism to promote and maintain economic growth. Despite opposition, HS2 is progressing, an east-west HS3 route along the M62 corridor is being promoted and with the construction of Crossrail coming to […]
Autonomous or driverless vehicles are set to be a transformational technology, with most mainstream car manufacturers having plans to develop partially or fully autonomous vehicles, not to mention Google, Apple and Uber and their ambitions around future mobility, moving away from the traditional model of private vehicle ownership. Whilst there seems to be lots of […]
In the Cardiff City Region, work is about to start on Phase 2 of the South Wales Metro running from 2017 to 2023. This will largely focus on modernising the core Valley lines to increase the frequency of trains, reduce journey times and potentially add stations and network extensions. In 2015 the Welsh Government committed […]