Timken Ha590159 Rear Hub Assembly on 2040-parts.com

Who got a MINI for Christmas, then?

The MINI 'Present' Box It’s a familiar sight at this time of the year. Rubbish bags piled up at the side of the road (look out – they’ll fine you) surrounded by packaging from Christmas gifts. And most of us don’t give a second glance.

Pforzheim University Winter Degree Show 2009

Transportation Design students at Germany's Pforzheim University displayed their work in the school's summer degree show last month, one of two graduation shows held every year by the renowned college. The exhibition included work from graduating Diploma and Masters students, first- and second-semester Masters students, as well as exterior and interior projects by the fifth- and seventh-semester BA students. The newly introduced Bachelor course covers the Transportation Design program in seven semesters (replacing the eight-semester Diploma course) with students embarking on specialized transportation projects in their second semester.

Call for reform over road repair funding

FUNDING patterns mean most road maintenance is being carried out in "less-efficient, cold and wet" times, a report from a Government spending watchdog has said. The current pattern of funding, combined with the need to spend money within the financial year, means that most maintenance work goes on between September and March, said the report from the National Audit Office (NAO). It went on: "Although this is less disruptive for road users, it is less efficient than carrying out the work at other times of year because materials can be more difficult to handle in cold and wet conditions, and daylight hours are shorter." The report went on: "As a result of the additional funding for emergency repairs, which is made available at the end of the financial year, almost all highways authorities need extra capacity from the market at the same time, which makes it less likely that they will get value for money." The NAO report said there was a "lack of predictability" over road spending adding that historically, local highway authorities spent more revenue on maintenance, but were now carrying out fewer routine activities such as clearing gullies which are essential to preventing water seeping into roads' sub-structure.