INBRIEF

GEODETICSPECS

A new specification for geodetic surveying of all future motorway and trunk road contracts has been published by the Highways Agency. The aim is to encourage the adoption of new surveying practices resulting in less disruption for road-users. A major change is the introduction of a survey advisor who will assist the design organisation to prepare a project specification to suit the specific needs of the scheme.

WELLDRIVEN?

Nearly half of calls to the Good Lorry Code scheme have complained of bad driving by lorry drivers. The scheme covers 1500 vehicles in the south of England. The hotline has received 570 calls so far. Forty per cent of calls praised drivers' skills but 49 per cent complained of being cut up by lorries and of difficutlies at roundabouts and bad manoeuvring.

Dress Note

The Road Surface Dressing Association is holding two day courses for engineers and technicians involved in the design and supervision of surface dressing. The day courses will be held in Derby on September 18 and 19 and in Milton Keynes on November 28 and 29 and will include design based on Road Note 39, of which a fourth edition is expected later this year.

Freight connection

Wim Blonk, director of the EU's DG V11E responsible for developing transport policy and for conducting research programmes underpinning the policies, will be leading speaker at the Freightconn-ection 96 conference. The conference will be held at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal on 1-3 October.

preparing for PFI

Ernst & Young has set up a multidisciplinary PFI and project finance group to offer clients expert advice from all of its industry and service groups.