Air Quality & Weather Systems

ITS sector must use less confusing industry terms says Q-Free

December 23, 2015

For ITS to gain the recognition it deserves, Q-Free’s Knut Evensen argues that the sector must have a coherent message and avoid confusing the wider community with a bewildering array of terms and acronyms. Any industry or group of people will develop its own lexicon over time. The process is near-inevitable, as individuals’ knowledge bases increase and evolve, and terms for common wisdom are created and become truncated, or even slang. A danger, though, as a relatively small group looks to admit large numb

EU inquiry committee to investigate car emission breaches

December 21, 2015

The European Parliament has voted to approve the creation of an inquiry committee to investigate breaches of EU rules on car emission measurements. The committee will be tasked with carrying out a thorough investigation of the VW scandal. Following this examination, it will aim to set up a new procedure that will effectively prohibit similar emissions cheating in the future.

FTA urges government to rethink Clean air Zones

December 21, 2015

The UK’s Freight Transport Association (FTA) says exempting cars from the proposed Clean Air Zones in five English cities is a missed opportunity to significantly improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that Birmingham, Leeds, Southampton, Nottingham and Derby would be required to introduce Clean Air Zones to reduce concentrations of nitrogen dioxide by 2020 at the latest.

SESA awarded Georgia Department of Transportation approved products listing

December 18, 2015

SES America’s energy efficient M6000 series of dynamic messaging signs, which require no cooling or ventilation systems, has recently received full approval for application anywhere on the Georgia highway system. The M6000, available in both colour and amber, comes in assortment of sizes or if needed customisation is entirely viable. The amber signs can be supplied in either solar or mains power versions. The M6000 utilises web based software in conjunction with SESA’s SCUV6 dynamic message sign co

UITP welcomes historic climate deal ‘but the real work starts now’

December 16, 2015

The International Association of Public Transport, UITP, has welcomed the landmark climate agreement made in Paris at the weekend but reminds governments that more must be done to bridge the emissions gap. The agreement was made by 195 nations, with, for the first time, all nations committing to a common cause on climate action based on their historic, current and future responsibilities. According to UITP, despite the landmark deal, the promises given by countries to curb their emissions in the run-u

MEPs call for a more ambitious proposal on emissions targets

December 16, 2015

On 14 December, MEPs in the Committee for the Environment (ENVI) voted to reject a weak proposal to measuring real driving emissions for NOx. FIA Region I had urged policymakers to reject the real driving emissions implementation measures that were on the table and instead call for the introduction of a realistic real driving emissions test. FIA Region I Director General, Jacob Bangsgaard, said: “MEPs have roundly rejected a weak proposal which would place no real pressure on vehicle manufacturers to im

Germany to toughen rules after VW scandal

December 15, 2015

In the wake of the Volkswagen emissions scandal, Germany's transport minister Alexander Dobrindt has announced that major automakers would have to disclose their engine software to state regulators, according to German website The Local. Dobrindt also announced there would be follow-up tests by the state motor transport authority KBA to double-check the results of exhaust tests ordered by the manufacturers. The minister said there would be "a comprehensive package of measures" to tighten the approval

Atkins named lead designer for major freeway project in Nevada

December 14, 2015

Atkins North America is to play a key role in the development of a freeway that aims to boost safety, mobility and accessibility in Las Vegas. Considered the most important and ambitious project in Nevada Department of Transportation's (NDOT) history, it also accommodates regional economic redevelopment through improved access to downtown Las Vegas and the Resort Corridor. As design lead on the team led by Kiewit Infrastructure West, Atkins will manage all design and engineering services for NDOT’s Pr

Inrix partners with the AA to provide real-time incident and traffic flow updates

December 11, 2015

Transportation information provider Inrix has announced a partnership with the UK’s Automobile Association (AA) to provide real-time road incident and traffic flow updates to the AA’s members. Inrix’s real-time traffic data now powers the traffic news on the AA’s website, providing live incident reports, road closures and congestion notices – all of which are also available to AA members through the AA app. The two companies have joined forces to help drivers avoid traffic congestion, including del

Volkswagen: ‘CO2 issue largely concluded’

December 10, 2015

Just a month after questions relating to the CO2 figures measured on some of the Group's models arose, Volkswagen claims it has largely concluded the clarification of the matter. Following extensive internal investigations and measurement checks, it is now clear that almost all of these model variants do correspond to the CO2 figures originally determined. This means that these vehicles can be marketed and sold without any limitations. The suspicion that the fuel consumption figures of current productio