#NEWZEALAND: Auckland Transportation Chair Steps Down After Calls For Entire Board To Quit

[world politics news]

The chair of Auckland Transport has resigned immediately in response to calls from new mayor Wayne Brown, pictured above, for the whole board to step down.

"It is clear that the Mayor designate wants a clear runway," said Adrienne Young-Cooper in a statement. "I willingly exit the role."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BELGIUM: Brussels 'Mobility Plan' Slashes Traffic In City Center On Aug. 16

[world politics news]

The car-choked streets of central Brussels are about to get a little less clogged.

On August 16, a new mobility plan goes into effect in the city's so-called Pentagon district with the goal of slashing transport emissions, reducing traffic and improving residents' quality of life.

It's all part of the city government's larger plan to reduce car traffic by 24% by the year 2030 within the city limits.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GERMANY: Transport Minister Opposes Ban On Internal Combustion Engines

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Germany’s transport minister has voiced strong opposition to plans to ban the sale of new cars with combustion engines across the European Union in 2035, arguing this would discriminate against vehicles powered with synthetic fuels.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Welsh Gov't Rolls Out Plan To Lower Speed Limits To 20 MPH

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Trials creating 20 mph zones are being rolled out across parts of Wales.

It comes as default speed limits look set to be cut from 30 mph to 20 mph in built-up areas by 2023 under Welsh government plans.

However opponents said the changes would increase journey times, add to congestion and anger drivers.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: London Mayor Wants To Tax Miles Driven In City

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Mayor Sadiq Khan has said London needs to charge motorists by the mile to hit climate change targets.

Khan wants road pricing to be implemented to encourage people who drive petrol or diesel cars in the British capital city to switch to public transport, walking, cycling or electric vehicles “where necessary."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CHINA: Gov't Minister Says "Too Many" EV Companies, Signalling Consolidation

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China’s minister for industry and information technology, Xiao Yaqing, has told reporters that the country’s electric vehicle (EV) sector is too fragmented and in dire need of consolidation.

“Looking forward, EV companies should grow bigger and stronger. We have too many EV firms on the market right now,” Xiao said during a press conference, adding that the firms involved in China’s EV sector are “mostly small and scattered.”

The Communist Chinese government has often ignored the free market and use the concept of the command economy to consolidate industries.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: London Mayor Wants Masking Mandatory On "Tube" Subway System

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said that failing to wear a face mask on the city's underground "tube" network should become a criminal offense.

The mayor has been pushing the government to allow Transport for London (TfL) to impose a by-law requiring face coverings on the capital's transport network.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: #London Transportation Agency Proposes $7.50 Entry Fee To Drive Into The City

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Drivers could be charged up to £5.50 a day $US $7.52) to enter Greater London under radical plans to restore the finances of Transport for London.

It's part of the transportation agency's detailed proposals of how it could break even in two years include the “assumptions” that the £3.50-a-day “boundary charge”, first proposed last month by Mayor Sadiq Khan, would include an additional £2 surcharge for more polluting vehicles.

London business owners worry, however that it will devastate business in an economy that is barely surviving due to Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GHANA: Opposition Member Of Parliament Says Used Car Ban Will Cost Jobs

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A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communication team has protested against the ban on the importation of salvaged vehicles into the country.

Daniella Mathias believes the move will render hundreds of thousands of artisans such as local mechanics, sprayers, welders, spare parts dealers and other craftspersons jobless.

She said the activities of artisans businesses within the automotive value chain have over the years contributed hugely to the GDP growth of the country hence the Akufo-Addo government would not be fair if it places ban on their sources of income.

“When he [President Akufo-Addo] was campaigning for votes, he sat 'trotro' [public transport] and begged for the votes of these same people who operate these used vehicles imported into the country,” the vociferous communicator said.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Mayor Says He'll Fine Uber Drivers $500/Day For Illegally Operating In City

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Surrey, British Columbia Mayor Doug McCallum says he'll start issuing $500 tickets each day to Uber drivers caught operating in the Vancouver suburb. McCallum cites the fact the city has not granted any ride-hailing companies municipal business licences as the reason behind their actions.

"A business licence is required to operate in Surrey – or any other municipality,” he said. “Until that happens, Uber is operating illegally in Surrey," he said. McCallum’s comments follow a statement he made this past Friday in which he also said he opposed ride-hailing in his city’s boundaries, and said he was acting to protect the city's cab drivers.

Experts note that provincial law allows ride-sharing services and there is no legal authority to ticket Uber drivers. The tickets are being issue by "by-law officers."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#IRELAND: Rules Considered To Legalize E-Scooters On Roads

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The Road Safety Authority has published its full report into e-scooters and broadly recommended the legalization of the vehicles with the caveat that there will be clarifications needed around matters like safety and where the vehicles can be operated on the road.

Currently electric scooters, or e-scooters, live in a legal limbo of sorts, and while none of the major scooter-sharing startups have launched here, personally-owned vehicles have taken to the roads in Irish cities.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#NEWZEALAND: Assoc. Transport Minister Sought Total Ban On Non-Electric Car Imports By 2035

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New Zealand's Associate Transportation minister demanded an investigation into a total ban on internal combustion engines by 2035, documents reveal. A Green Party member, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter ordered an investigation into a total ban on gas car imports by 2035 among a range of options to reduce emissions in the national transport fleet.

A Ministry of Transport report from September last year showed officials had been instructed to "progress an initiative to regulate an end-date of 2035 to the import of light vehicles that are unable to be driven without fossil-fuels."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BELGIUM: City Of Brussels Considers Confiscating Cars For Traffic Offenses

[world politics news]

The Belgian city of Brussels is considering confiscating the cars of drivers who repeatedly violate traffic rules, following the lead of cities like Antwerp and Mechelen.

There has been a string of accidents in Brussels involving pedestrians in recent weeks. Schaerbeek has seen several hit-and-runs, and just last weekend, a pedestrian was killed in an accident at Place Charles Rogier. Confiscating cars is seen as one way to prevent these accidents.

Over a one year period, Mechelen has taken four cars. The process is gradual; first drivers are told they are breaking the rules, then they get a visit from a police officer before having their cars confiscated.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EGYPT: Transportation Minister Resigns Following Deadly Cairo Train Crash

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Egypt's transportation minister resigned Wednesday after a deadly train crash in Cairo killed at least 25, and left over 50 injured.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly accepted Hisham Arafat's resignation, a cabinet satement the statement said. Egypt has consistently been criticized for the safety of its rail service.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GERMANY: Merkel Vows To Fight Unpopular City Bans On Older Diesel Vehicles

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the trend of banning older diesel cars and trucks in German cities is "disproportionate" where limits on nitrogen emissions are only being marginally exceeded.

Speaking to reporters in Berlin, Merkel pledged to introduce legislation that would allow car owners to continue driving older diesel vehicles. Many drivers have been left outraged as a number of major German cities, including Frankfurt, Berlin and Stuttgart, have threatened to limit or ban older diesel engines from their roads.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SAUDIARABIA: King Issues Ruling Allowing Women To Drive By Next Summer

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Saudi Arabia's King Salman has issued a decree allowing women to drive for the first time. Government ministries are to prepare reports within 30 days and the order will be implemented by June 2018. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world to forbid women from driving.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#CHINA: Gov't May Set Timetable To End Production Of Internal Combustion Engines By 2040s

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China will set a deadline for automakers to end sales of fossil-fuel-powered vehicles, becoming the biggest market to do so in a move that may accelerate the push into the electric car market. Xin Guobin, the vice minister of industry and information technology, said the government is working with other regulators on a timetable to end production and sales, mostly likely in the 2040s. The move will have a profound impact on the environment and growth of China’s auto industry, said Xin.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SOUTHAFRICA: Bill Passes That Would Implement Demerits For Drivers Who Break Traffic Laws

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Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi is welcoming the passage of a bill which would ensure that a demerit points system for drivers will be implemented. The demerit points system docks points from the licences of drivers who break traffic rules. This will result in the cancellation of driving licences for repeat offenders. The bill will become law once it has been signed by President Jacob Zuma.


[FULL STORY HERE]

#USA: House Approves Self-Driving Car Bill, Allowing Up To 100,000 Autonomous Vehicles On The Road

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The U.S. House has unanimously approved the SELF-DRIVE act which would, if approved by the Senate, make it possible for companies working on self-driving cars to field a lot more vehicles per year – as many as 100,000 autonomous test cars annually.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#GERMANY: Transport Min. Says All Regional, Local Trains Should Have Free Wi-Fi

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Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt has called on state-run rail operator Deutsche Bahn to add free high-speed internet to all its regional and local train services. As of January, first-class passengers in DB intercity (ICE) services can connect to on-board Wi-Fi for free. Second-class passengers will have to wait until 2016.