UTC

Urban consolidation centres (UCCs) can help UK local authorities meet air quality obligations through the reduction of goods vehicle miles in urban areas, says the Transport Systems Catapult (TSC). These centres could also help improve congestion, the research and technology organisation adds. UCCs are logistics facilities where goods are dropped off and combined onto commercial vehicles for delivery to their final destination. TSC applied its economic assessment tool to estimate the cost and benefi

Volkswagen has launched its mobility solution in Rwanda in a bid to expand its reach in Africa's automotive industry. The package includes a car-sharing service, ride hailing service and a local vehicle assembly plant. The car-sharing service will mainly be aimed at companies in the capital Kigali, while the ride hailing service will follow later this year. Meanwhile, the assembly plant will be used to develop the latest Polo and Passat vehicles. Volkswagen says it intends to build up to 1,000 vehicl

On-demand transportation company Lyft is to buy North America bike share company Motivate. Under the agreement, Lyft will acquire Motivate’s technology, corporate functions, including city contracts. Meanwhile, Lyft says it will invest in additional resources in technology to develop bike share in partnership with cities. According to a blog post on Lyft's website, the company plans to deliver dockless and pedal-assist electric bikes to riders around the country. Motivate's bike maintenance and s

Civil and electrical engineering firm McCann will help upgrade a 7.5 mile stretch of a major Midlands route as part of the M1 junction 23a – 25 smart motorway scheme. The project stems from an agreement with Highways England and is intended to reduce congestion and smooth the flow of traffic to improve travel times. Carl Lancaster, operations director for McCann, says: “The finished project will also help to minimise environmental impacts and maximise the capacity of the motorway while ensuring continued

The UK government, energy regulator Ofgem and local authorities should enable the rollout of charging infrastructure to allow close to 100% electric vehicle (EV) sales by 2030, says The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC). The NIC has published its National Infrastructure Assessment to set out a long-term vision for sustainable economic infrastructure and help prepare the UK for the growth of EVs and autonomous vehicles. NIC’s assessment recommends Ofgem to regulate the interaction between EV c

Canadian traffic management company International Road Dynamics (IRD) has announced that Randy Hanson has replaced president and CEO Terry Bergan, who has retired from the company. The firm says the transition is part of a planned leadership succession process. Hanson has been IRD's chief operating officer and executive vice president since 2000.

Urban transportation specialist Tern says its GSD utility ebike will help Deliveroo riders deliver meals faster to customers. The bike's 200km range is intended to allow the UK delivery service company to expand its radius. Deliveroo says riders will be able to short-cut city traffic and parking issues, the company says. Tern GSD can carry up to 400 lb of cargo and features a specially-designed frame and a Bosch-powered electric drive system.

Phantom traffic jams can be minimised through adaptive cruise control (ACC) technology, says Ford. These traffic jams occur when one driver hits the brakes and causes a chain reaction of other drivers tapping their brakes which causes traffic flow to halt. Ford conducted a test alongside Vanderbilt University researchers on a closed test track involving 36 vehicles across three lanes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GYfXxVn2Oc The motor company says the main causes of phantom jams are human fa

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) will reduce the number of cars and overall travel times in cities but potentially worsen conditions in downtown areas, says the World Economic Forum. The findings come from a study conducted alongside the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Called Reshaping Urban Mobility with Autonomous Vehicles: Lessons from the City of Boston, the partnership recommends city and state governments encourage higher sharing of AVs - and avoid significantly moving away from mass transit systems. A