News

A university lecturer is calling for a radical reform of government policy in order to increase the number of cyclists in Britain. Dr John Stubbs, University of Derby senior lecturer in geography, explained that around £140 million is being invested by the government in cycling schemes between 2008 and 2011. However, Dr Stubbs warned that...

The latest city car concept from Daihatsu could redefine the SUV (sports utility vehicle) for city dwellers who want the flexible load space and lifestyle associations of an off-road vehicle, but have no need for four-wheel drive and want to significantly reduce the environmental impact of their motoring. The ‘Basket’ seats four, has a...

Cyclists in Southend who are caught riding on pavements are being offered free one-to-one training sessions as an alternative to a £30 fine. According to Southend-on-Sea police, cyclists riding on pavements have been a cause of concern for the public for some time. Previously, penalty fines of £30 were issued, but now the police are...

Bike theft is soaring in Worcester with many offenders continuing to escape without punishment. More than 800 bicycles have been stolen in the town over the past three years. Of these cases, only 19 culprits were successfully convicted. Janet Heritage, West Mercia Police’s inspector for Worcester City, said;The best thing people can do to...

A solar-powered car that uses less power than a kettle has travelled 3,000km from Darwin to Adelaide to win its category in the Global Green Challenge, one of the world’s largest green car races. The futuristic-looking Tokai Challenger was built by a university team from Japan car and won the race with a driving time of 29 hours 49 minutes...

Those who commute to work by bicycle are faced with particular challenges during the autumn and winter months. The end of British Summer Time heralds the need for a good set of lights and our increasingly wet autumn and winter seasons make a good case for mudguards, but less obvious perhaps is the need to keep a bicycle clean. Rain, grit...

The 13.6kg Cytronex-powered Cannondale Capo is the world’s lightest full-size electric bicycle and arguably the best-looking machine of its kind. The electric bike is almost indistinguishable from the standard Cannondale Capo around which it is built; the electric motor is concealed within the front wheel hub, the battery is disguised as a...

The London mayor, Boris Johnson, has transformed Europe’s busiest pedestrian crossing at Oxford Circus by removing kerbs, railings and introducing an x-shaped crossing – a street planning concept known as ‘naked streets’. The £5m project has seen barriers removed and traffic lights replaced to allow twice the number of pedestrians to cross...

Network Rail has teamed up with Transport for London (TfL) to encourage more commuters in the capital to get on their bikes. The transport organisations have worked together to install two-tier, ‘double-decker’ parking for cyclists, thereby doubling the number of parking bays from 116 to 233 at Liverpool Street Station. The new cycle racks...

Businesses across the country are being called on to sign up to the government’s Cycle to Work scheme According to bike retailers, there is huge interest from people frustrated that their company has not signed up to the scheme. So far fewer than 100 public sector organisations and major companies, including the likes of local authorities,...