News

The government is considering a change to the law that would allow Electric Personal Vehicles (EPV), such as the Segway, to be used on the roads and cycle paths. A public consultation will run for twelve weeks until the end of March. The Segway’s performance … at a glance Top speed 12mph Range 24 miles Charging time 8 hours Cost...

The popularity of electric-assist bicycles is a growing, global phenomenon with over 120 million of the bikes already in existence. Over 20,000 electric-assist bicycles, or ‘e-bikes’ are sold in Britain each year and their growing popularity on roads around Europe has prompted calls for revised regulation. Electrically-assisted pedal cycles...

The horrendous driving conditions caused by this week’s icy weather yesterday resulted in a self-imposed 20mph speed limit across much of the country. As motorists struggled to negotiate slippery roads, the speed of traffic on many roads yesterday rarely exceeded 20mph. The Environmental Transport Association (ETA) coined the phrase ‘twenty...

With almost every area of the country covered in snow and more extreme weather forecast for the coming days, many drivers are embarking on trips in hazardous conditions without taking adequate precautions. Over one thousand drivers on the A3 in Hampshire were snowbound before being rescued by the army. The cold temperature is causing car...

New car technology that allows drivers to switch their cars to automatic pilot and join a fast-moving queue of tailgating vehicles travelling at speeds of up to 70mph may be commonplace on British motorways within a decade. The ‘road train’ technology would enable a line of up to eight cars to drive behind a lead vehicle that would do all...

The question of why half as many British women as men cycle – the lowest number of young women cycling anywhere in Europe – is examined in a new film documentary, Beauty and the Bike. The Darlington council-sponsored film compares the cycling habits and attitudes of young women in Germany and north-east England. Darlington is one of six...

Specialist car builder Rinspeed has gained a reputation for the ambitious concept cars it unveils each year at the Geneva Motor Show, and its most recent design – a two-seater electric city car that boosts its range by travelling onboard a train – is no different. The Rinspeed ‘UC?’measures only 2.5 metres in length and is designed to drive...

The news that a MINI-E electric car has joined the government car pool for use by ministers on official business around London has been followed quickly by rumours that Fiat is to launch an electric version of its best-selling 500 model at next month’s Detroit Motor Show. The MINI-E is one of a number of car manufacturers taking part in a...

The Copenhagen Wheel is a new device that enables almost any bicycle to be transformed into an e-bike within minutes. The wheel is so named because it is intended to help Copenhagen achieve its goal of becoming the world’s first carbon-neutral capital by 2025. The wheel was developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and...

The decision by the Royal Mail earlier this year to decommission its fleet of 16,000 Pashley delivery bicycles is having a detrimental effect on a charity that reconditions unwanted bikes before shipping them to Africa. Bicycles are used by postmen on over 16,000 routes and the service has been in operation for nearly 120 years....