News

The sensible way to cycle 112 miles on the same day that you plan to swim 2.4 miles and run a marathon is to have a robot do it for you. Two weeks after some of the world’s toughest athletes take on Hawaii’s Ironman Course, a tiny robot will do just that when it attempts to swim, run and cycle over 140 miles. The Panasonic Evolta robot is a...

Even though car manufacturers spend millions on the development of technology to make petrol engines quieter and electric vehicles near silent, both types of vehicle look set to become louder. European safety laws requiring mandatory artificial soundtracks for otherwise near-silent electric vehicles may result in cars that sing songs,...

The decision by Charles I in 1637, to enclose the land now known as Richmond Park in southwest London might not have been popular with local residents at the time, but it more than likely saved the green space from being built upon in the future. To this day, the 2,360-acre site is home to over 650 deer, but for me, other than the abundance...

With the cycle trade in Britain buoyed up by a 28 per cent increase in retail sales last year, one particular company in East London is selling bicycles not for profit, but to help tackle environmental, social & economic challenges. Bikeworks is a not-for-profit enterprise that uses cycling to promote sustainable urban transport and...

With 400 libraries around the country under threat of closure, might cash-strapped councils be about to take a leaf out of the Institute of Green Mobility’s book? Mobile libraries are nothing new, but the Brazilian organisation has found that a tricycle adapted to function as a mobile library is a cost-effective way of getting to the heart...

The VW Nils concept electric car takes a pragmatic approach to the restricted range, high cost and long re-charge times associated with today’s battery technology. In a similar vein to the G-Wiz electric quadricycle, the Nils does not pitch itself against the conventional family car and is aimed squarely at commuters. The...

The sound is inherently friendly and it’s almost impossible to ring a bicycle bell in anger in the way that drivers use their car horns, so perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn of a bicycle speaker that records and plays any message to warn others of your presence. The £16, handlebar-mounted speaker announces “on your left” at...

According to the organisers of last week’s Bike to Church Day in America, “When Jesus physically walked the earth with us 2000 years ago, he led a simple life. He walked on foot, rode on a donkey, or took a boat. Sometimes he skipped the boat and walked on water. If Jesus was here with us today, how would he travel? Think about that a bit.”...

The Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy are inviting applications for a new award from organisations involved in delivering outstanding sustainable local travel schemes. Winners of the 2012 Eurostar Ashden Award for Sustainable Travel will scoop £20,000 in prize money and help with the development and promotion of their sustainable local...

I braved the rain this week to take part in Skyride 2011 – London’s annual traffic-free cycling jamboree. It’s become a tradition for us to use the event as an excuse for fancy dress. The irony of my Jeremy Clarkson outfit (on one of the very few days of the year when even hardened cyclists might be tempted to take the car) was not lost on...