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Thousands of people took part in a silent march in Bayonne for Philippe Monguillot, 59, who was declared brain dead after an attack by passengers who refused to wear face masks. He later died in hospital.The driver’s family organised the march from the bus stop where the assault took place. Monguillot's colleagues used their right to refuse to work in the aftermath of the...

One French driver in five admits to a Jekyll and Hyde personality when they take the wheelThe French are the road-rage champions of Europe, according to a survey, with the highest number of drivers who feel they become more aggressive when they get on the road.The 10th annual poll of “responsible driving” published by the Vinci Motorway Foundation and carried out by the Ipsos...

Those who can, should go back to work, Boris Johnson has said. But how will people get to work safely? If we take public transport, will there be enough space to physically distance? If we take the car, will the roads cope with all the extra traffic? Josh Toussaint-Strauss tries to figure out some answers, with the help of Peter Walker and Matthew Taylor...

Data reveals police recorded seven incidents of motorists in UK driving over 130mphCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageTwo-thirds of Britain’s police forces caught people driving in excess of 100mph during the first three weeks of the coronavirus lockdown, new data has shown. The extreme speeds were not confined to motorways, as drivers also took the drop in traffic as an invitation to break...

Funding will increase capacity and frequency of services as Covid-19 changes way we travelRoads, railways, buses and trams are to receive a £283m funding package to improve public safety and protect services, the transport secretary has announced.Grant Shapps said the funding – £254m for buses and £29m for trams and light rail – would increase both frequency and capacity of services while ensuring there...

Social distancing rules will ‘kill cities’, experts warn – and the future of mass transit hangs in the balanceThis is the second feature in our Life after lockdown series, which looks at how Covid-19 could change Australia for good Before the pandemic struck, Sara Blazey made the same three-hour commute to work, three days a week, for the better part of 12 years. The...

Experiment finds species try to avoid audible road sounds The thunder of road traffic is likely to drive away bats, according to a study, which found vehicle noise caused bat activity to decrease by two-thirds.While environmental assessments of new roads focus on the danger of habitat fragmentation, or bats colliding with traffic, the first ever controlled field experiment to investigate the impact of vehicle...

Road markings redrawn after cyclists demand more space to comply with Covid-19 rulesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageGerman cities are redrawing road markings to create “pop-up” cycle lanes for the duration of the Covid-19 lockdown, as cyclists demand more space to physically distance on their commutes to work.Local authorities in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin trialled a temporary widening of two cycle...

Two drivers slightly hurt but fall of 260-metre structure revives memories of Genoa disaster in 2018A bridge on a normally busy provincial road in northern Italy collapsed on Wednesday but, with virtually no traffic due to the coronavirus lockdown, there were just two casualties who suffered minor injuries.The 260-metre bridge on the SS330 road near the town of Aulla – roughly mid-way between Genoa...

After years of committed action, neither city recorded a single pedestrian fatality in 2019 They cut speed limits, changed street design, removed space for cars and generally made life harder for motorists.Now it appears the work is paying off. Two of Europe’s smaller capital cities – Oslo and Helsinki – are reaping the rewards of committed action on making their roads safer, reducing pedestrian...

Despite €16.3bn in EU funding, cities have failed to get people on to bikes or buses, report saysCommuters in Europe are still choosing their cars over public transport despite enduring ever longer journey times into city centres owing to traffic congestion, the EU’s spending watchdog has found.Six years after Brussels announced a step-change in urban transport and provided more than €16.3bn (£14bn) in funding,...

Country is first to implement measure nationwide in attempt to reduce congestionLuxembourg is to become the first country to offer a free public transport system, as the government tries to reduce particularly dense car traffic.Some cities have taken similar partial measures but the transport ministry said it was the only time such a decision had encompassed an entire country. Continue reading...

Two people trapped in cars hours after accident‘Pretty much everything with four wheels was involved’ – policeNearly 70 people have been injured in a pile-up involving about 200 vehicles on a busy highway in a suburb of the Canadian city of Montreal.Two people were still trapped in their cars hours after the crash, which happened at 12.30pm on Wednesday in La Prairie, Quebec, said...

Highway patrol says passenger who opened fire in custodyAbout 40 passengers onboard bus at time of shootingOne person was killed and at least five were injured early on Monday in a shooting on a Greyhound bus in California, the state highway patrol said.The patrol also confirmed that an unidentified man has been taken into custody. A Fort Tejon California highway patrol (CHP) spokesman said...

Firms may cut prices on plug-in electric hybrids to escape new EU emissions finesCarmakers are bracing for a hybrid electric car price war this year as they try to avoid steep EU fines for carbon dioxide emissions. Related: 2020 set to be year of the electric car, say industry analysts Continue reading...

A long-term resolution to leave the car at home could help waistlines as well as the environmentSince 2011 Beijing has controlled traffic growth by allocating new licence plates in a bimonthly lottery. There is less than a one in 500 chance of getting a plate in each draw but winning might not be as wonderful as it first seems.The impact of increased motorised travel...

Minibuses that run on Friday evenings and Saturdays buck state’s religious restrictions Tel Aviv is one of Israel’s most dynamic cities, but the latest local craze could appear fairly humdrum to outsiders – a bus service that runs at weekends.Packed 19-seat minibuses fill up fast with passengers, who excitedly gossip about the new routes. People patiently queue at bus stops, knowing they might have...

At least 51 people have been injured in a pile-up on a major interstate in Virginia. Authorities do not yet know the cause of the crash, but fog and icy conditions were contributing factors, said Sgt Michelle Anaya of Virginia state police. No deaths were reported but it took emergency crews several hours to clear the road and reopen all lanes of trafficSixty-nine-vehicle pile-up...