6th traditional activity “Road Safety” in Kosovo
This year, the College of Applied Technical Sciences “Tempulli” and Kosovo Association of Motorization “ARMKS” with the support from governmental institutions and other stakeholders who have mandate for road safety organized for the sixth time the Traditional Activity “Road Safety”, which includes primary and secondary schools from various municipalities of Kosovo.
The implementation formula of this edition was the same as in the previous years: a theoretical and practical part.
Theoretical Part
24 April to 27 April 2018 - During this week, the working groups visited schools selected by MEST and distributed coloring books “How to move safely on the road” and tests developed by traffic experts for evaluating knowledge of pupils with regards to the traffic rules and signs to pupils of grades 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Practical Part
18 May 2018 - The practical part included lower secondary schools from different municipalities of the Republic of Kosovo. Each of the participating schools (selected by MEST) selected three representative students, respectively of 6th, 7th and 8th grades to compete in bicycle races, which tested students’ technical skills in bicycle riding.
Whereas after analyzing pupils' result, were announced the Kosovo champions of this edition.
Newsletter - June 2018
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Third Serbian Road Congress, 14-15 June 2018, Belgrade
The Public Enterprise Roads of Serbia is pleased to inform that the Third Serbian Road Congress will be held on 14 & 15 June 2018, in Crowne Plaza hotel, Belgrade.
Topics of this year's Congress are:
- Planning and Design – Examples and experiences
- Planning and Design – New technologies
- Management, Construction and Maintenance of Roads
- ITS and New Technologies in Transport
- Efficiency and Safety of Road Traffic
- Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection
All necessary information regarding the Congress are available on the website: http://www.kongresoputevima.rs/eng/index.html on which participants may register and find delivered abstracts.
For more information, please contact Roads of Serbia at: ljerka.ibrovic@putevi.srbije.rs
Proceedings of IRF Intertraffic Workshops now available
The International Road Federation (Geneva) hosted three workshops at Intertraffic 2018 in collaboration with Swarco, Evonik and PTV.
Tuesday 20 March 2018 – IRF in collaboration with Swarco
An integrated approach to mobility management: Reimagining the role of infrastructure in the new connected and autonomous ecosystem
In recent years, a silo mentality has often prevented cities and road operators to best express the full potential of an integrated approach to mobility. Connecting parking, public transport, lighting urban and interurban traffic management in one holistic solution can help solving mobility challenges way more efficiently. The advent of the connected (soon autonomous) vehicle now offers a new opportunity to overcome these obstacles. C-ITS services are inevitably on the way and many day-1 use-cases are currently deployed on roads worldwide.
Access the proceedings of this workshop: http://www.irfnet.ch/event-info/irf-geneva-&-swarco-workshop-at-intertraffic-2018/1/926
Wednesday 21 March 2018 – IRF in collaboration with Evonik Resource Efficiency
Sustainable and Safe Urban Street Design: Meeting Road Safety Targets
By presenting some successful case studies on safe urban street design from around the world, this workshop will provide concrete suggestions on how to develop context-specific and Safe System-based road safety interventions in an urban environment with a particular focus on road markings. The workshop will also mark the launch of the 2018 edition of the Evonik Road Safety Award.
Access the proceedings of this workshop: http://www.irfnet.ch/event-info/irf-geneva-&-evonik-workshop-at-intertraffic-2018/1/927
Thursday 22 March 2018 – IRF in collaboration with PTV
Traffic management for developing countries: tailoring the right solutions
Managing traffic conceals increasingly complex challenges today. Incidents can be unforeseeable or planned: accidents, road works, adverse weather conditions, strikes, demonstrations, major public events, holiday traffic peaks or other capacity overload. But managing "incidents" is only one part of the story. The real challenge and long-term goal is how to tailor the right solutions that can improve the quality of transport, ameliorate the traffic flow, increase the level of road safety while lowering at the same time emissions and noise pollution. In one word: how to deliver a better quality of life to people?
The workshop will discuss how to tailor appropriate traffic management solutions for developing countries and emerging economies.
Access the proceedings of this workshop: http://www.irfnet.ch/event-info/irf-geneva-&-ptv-group-workshop-at-intertraffic-2018/1/928
SaferAfrica Project discusses Data Collection in Africa
Members of the consortium of the EU-funded SaferAfrica project met in Athens on 24-27 April 2018 to discuss advancements and to present first results to the Management Board. IRF (Geneva) who is a member of the consortium shared its experience on data collection during the dedicated workshop held jointly with the Management Board. Representatives from the African Development Bank, UNECA, SSATP/World Bank, FIA, WHO, IRTAD, IRU, PIARC were also present to address the issue of data in Africa and the specific needs of the African countries when it comes to implementing the Action Plan of the Decade.
The SaferAfrica Project aims to establish a Dialogue Platform between Africa and Europe focused on road safety and traffic management issues. The primary role of the Dialogue Platform is to act as a high-level and high-powered body that can help positively influence changes in the African regions.
The platform works at two different levels: high-level via the Management Board made-up of prominent institutions like the European Commission, International Financial Institutions, UN Regional Commissions and other relevant stakeholders. The technical level which involves government and research institutions, international organisations and transport stakeholders (e.g. NGOs), with a balance between African and EU partners.
The project activities are oriented to the “Safe System” approach and grouped around four pillars: Road Safety Knowledge and Data; Road Safety and Traffic management Capacity Review; Capacity Building and Training; Sharing of Good Practices. These have been specifically identified to be aligned with the mid-term review of the African Road Safety Action Plan.
SaferAfrica aims at:
- Contributing to developing/designing actions related to the Action Plan (and, in particular, to its mid-term review) together with individual African countries/organisations.
- Assessing progress toward the goals of the Action Plan and, based on assessments of the solutions adopted by various countries, releasing recommendations.
- Increasing the endogenous capacities of African countries.
- Fostering the adoption of the principles of the Safe System approach, in which all elements of the road transport system are defined in an integrated way, with the aim of ensuring crash energy levels below what would to cause fatal or serious injury.
Learn more on SaferAfrica and Athens’ meetings on the SaferAfrica website: http://www.saferafrica.eu/news/saferafrica-dialogue-platform-workshop-management-board/
Meet us in China at the World Transport Convention 2018
IRF’s (Geneva) longstanding partnership and collaboration with China Highways and Transportation Society (CHTS) and with the Government of China will be at centre stage again this year at the World Transport Convention 2018 to be hosted in Beijing from 18 to 21 June. Hosted by China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), organized by China Highway & Transportation Society (CHTS), and with the support of the Ministry of Transport (MOT), Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) the 2017 edition of the World Transport Convention (WTC) was an indisputable success. WTC 2018 wishes to push forward the innovation and development of the transport industry, and further promote the international exchange and cooperation in this field, especially the transport infrastructure connectivity among the countries along the Belt and Road.
With the theme of “Better Transport, Better World”, WTC 2018 is structured around five major components: opening ceremony & keynote presentations, transport sci-tech expo, technical sessions & workshops, 2018 urban traffic innovative design competition and 2018 college student bridge design competition, and " the Belt and Road " special activities.
IRF (Geneva) is pleased to support again this must attend event for Asia that is expected to attract over 5,000 participants. During the convention, the 2018 Transport Sci-Tech Expo covering an area of 30,000 square meters will be organized. The expo will have two major exhibition areas, namely the infrastructure exhibition area and the travel service exhibition area.
The technical programme, consisting of keynote speeches, thematic forums and specialized sessions & workshops as well as poster ones, will witness around 1,500 presentations. There will be over 30 thematic workshops focusing on hot issues and cutting-edge technologies in the field of transport, such as the development of long-span bridges, high-speed rail technology, big data, future transport, intelligent transportation, sharing economy and green mobility, and much more.
If you are interested in getting involved in one of the sessions that will be hosted by IRF (Geneva) please contact the Secretariatat info@irfnet.chThe official website of the conference is https://www.wtc-conference.com/
Applications for the Evonik Road Safety Award 2018 are now open!
IRF (Geneva) is pleased to support for the third year the Evonik Road Safety Award. Granted every year, the Evonik Road Safety Award acknowledges and rewards the contributions to road safety of public authorities worldwide.
With the Road Safety Award, Evonik aims to raise awareness for road safety initiatives that address the needs of vulnerable road users. Key criteria for the winning project are its contribution to
- Road safety (60%)
- Sustainability (20%)
- Innovation (10%)
- Replicability (10%)
Project candidates involve any completed infrastructure initiative, which includes some form of road marking with at least a one-year track record. Qualified applicants represent public authorities from a city, state, national or regional level, responsible for such an initiative. The prize of 10,000€ will be awarded in the form of a sponsored road marking application, a donation of traffic safety related items, or a donation to a non-profit organization.
Evonik bestows the prize upon identification of the winner by an independent jury of internationally recognized experts in the field of road safety, transport, and city design:
Application forms can be downloaded from www.degaroute.com and should be submitted to degaroute@evonik.com before May 31, 2018. The winning project will be announced in the month of August, followed by an award ceremony in late 2018 that will take place at a global or regional road safety event. More information – including the application form – is available on www.degaroute.com.
Tell us your story and apply for the Evonik Road Safety Award 2018!
IRF (Geneva) to support Qatar on its recycling strategy
The Pavement Preservation and Recycling Summit (PPRS) 2018 in Nice (26 - 28 March 2018) set the scene for the signature of an important MoU between Ashghal, the Qatari Public Works Authority and the International Road Federation (Geneva). Ashghal’s participation in the summit was part of its endeavour to open opportunities for cooperation and investment in the road sector and recycling of construction materials.
Ashghal’s delegation made of a group of senior officials was headed by H.E. Dr. Eng. Saad bin Ahmed Al-Muhannadi, President of the Public Works Authority. Ashghal has planned to recycle 3 million tons of asphalt waste over the next two years and is working with its partners to increase the proportion of recycled materials and use them in projects in a range of 15 to 50%, to be included with the specifications of QCS 2018. The MoU signed by Ashghal’s President Dr. Eng. Saad Al-Muhannadi and Mrs. Susanna Zammataro, Executive Director of International Road Federation (Geneva) aims at boosting cooperation in the field of construction recycling. “We are delighted to support Qatar in the implementation of its national strategy 2017-2022. IRF’s expertise and network will provide an extra gear to the ambitious plan set by Ashghal”, said Susanna Zammataro of IRF.
The National Strategy 2017-2022 of the State of Qatar aims: 1. at ensuring that at least 20% of recycled materials is used in road construction projects 2. a reduction of 30% for the cost of raw materials used in road construction in Qatar and 3. a greater uptake of environment friendly methods and techniques in the construction sector, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 for sustainability.
Ashghal's engagement to promote recycling of construction materials looks at facilitating the establishment of a platform for the development of sustainable local infrastructure and reduce volume of import of aggregates and bitumen from abroad. This will of course have the effect of reducing costs and improve on time project delivery.
The signature of the MoU between Ashghal and IRF was also followed by the signature of an MoU between Ashghal and Anas Qatar Branch, who since 2012 works in Qatar to develop a Quality Assurance / Quality Control system for road pavements. The MoU marks the start of the e-library to be created by ANAS on Ashghal’s web portal to offer access to technical knowledge in the field of civil engineering, standards and technical specifications.
If you wish to learn more or get involved in IRF-Ashghal collaboration, please contact IRF Secretariat in Geneva info@irfnet.ch.
Step up Action! IRF in New York for the launch of the UN Road Safety Fund
The Road Safety community gathered in New York on 12-13 April for the launch of a new United Nations Road Safety Trust Fund. The new UN Fund is intended to catalyse road safety action across the globe, using donations to help unlock new government and municipal funding and re-focus national road safety budgets towards proven ‘Safe System’ interventions.
The FIA Foundation has pledged a donation of USD$10 million to kick start the Fund launched by UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed. The FIA Foundation’s donation will help to leverage additional support for the Fund from governments, other philanthropies and the private sector to work towards achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of a 50% global reduction in road fatalities and injuries.
3M – a member of the IRF family – and Total are the first two private sector companies stepping in with donation pledges. “As a member of the Advisory Board of the FIA High Level Panel on Road Safety and a longstanding advocate of road safety, IRF will do its outmost to solicit and encourage donations to the Fund from its members and partners, whether from the private or the public sector” said Susanna Zammataro, IRF Executive Director. “We stand ready to support the delivery of projects and programmes funded by the Trust Fund and to enhance collaboration and coordination at all levels via – in between others – our active role as members of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration Group (UNRSC)” Zammataro concluded.
The UN Economic Commission for Europe estimates that for every $100 million raised and deployed by the fund, a further $3.4 billion of country and city investment can be unlocked for infrastructure and road safety programmes, saving 64,000 lives and preventing 640,000 serious injuries. To meet the road safety sustainable development goal targets for road safety by 2030 will require at least $770 million per year in catalytic financing, so the stakes are high and the challenge great.
The official launch followed the UN General Assembly debate on road safety where a new resolution was adopted following a long series of interventions from the different government delegations present has recalled the urgency of action in response to the rising toll of road fatalities and injuries globally. HRH Prince Michael of Kent spoke on behalf of the UK, sharing the country’s own journey to reducing fatalities, but was also clear in stating that 1700 deaths a year is still unacceptable. With only 2 years until 2020 to deliver the SDG target, where the Decade of Action for Road Safety will also come to a close, Prince Michael urged the international community to redouble efforts to reduce road crash fatalities by 50%.
UNECE Executive Secretary Olga Algayerova stated “The United Nations Road Safety Trust Fund will serve as a catalyst for much-needed progress towards the road safety targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. UNECE is honoured to host the Secretariat of the Trust Fund, and, as home to both the United Nations road safety conventions and the Secretariat of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, is committed to working with all stakeholders to multiply the impact of global action to improve road safety”.
Commenting on the launch, Susanna Zammataro IRF Executive Director said: “I think we all have to pay a special tribute to the UN Special Envoy for Road Safety, Mr Jean Todt, today for his relentless work over the past years and that has made possible this great achievement today. Following his example and leadership, we all need now to step up action and make sure road safety becomes a reality for all. Access to relevant knowledge and data is fundamental first step. IRF’s Knowledge centre www.gtkp.com hosts significant work produced in the framework of UNRSC and that will be of great help and guidance to anyone working on road safety. Access to these resources is free and we look forward to everyone’s contribution to keep this important knowledge resource growing”.
Join the IRF Young Professionals Programme!
The IRF Young Professionals (IRF YP) is a platform for the next generation of leaders and specialists in the road and mobility sector to propose initiatives, share ideas and be engaged in the overall activities of IRF. IRF-YP gathers proactive graduate students enrolled in a Master or Ph.D. programme as well as young professionals working in the sector. Building on the IRF’s vast network and expertise, the Programme has as its mission to present the road and mobility sectors as a multidisciplinary area for development for young professionals from various backgrounds. After two initial years of work culminated in the interactive workshops hosted during the World Meeting, our IRF YP are ready to change gear and embrace new challenges.
Ana Maria de la Parra - one of the two IRF YP leaders - gives us insights on their plans: “First of all we would like to thank all the IRF YPs for the effort and engagement. Special thanks go to Melinda Matyas – my fellow IRF YP Leader - without whom nothing would have been possible. We are pleased to announce that the two program leaders for the new mandate just started will be myself, Ana Maria de la Parra (Anukie) and Eloi Artau. I will continue my front-line engagement to ensure continuity while we take up new challenges”.
Working closely with the the IRF Secretariat in Geneva, the IRF YPs are working on identifying new priorities and defining goals and objectives in a new strategy.
“We have decided to create a new Admissions and Membership committee, composed by Daniel Kabuga and Usman Shaibu” says Anukie. “One of the priorities we have already identified is the need to develop partnerships with other sisters’ organisations. For this purpose, we have decided to set up some regional committees to identify and liaise with relevant organizations who can help us advance in our mission. Bruno Kinyaga and Eudardo Ramirez have started work in the African and European regions” adds Anukie.
Learn more, support or get involved in the IRF Young Professional Programme, by writing to: youngpp@irfnet.ch
