News

Drivers are being urged to check they are carrying enough fuel before they undertake long journeys following the news that in the last year 15,788 drivers ran dry on England’s motorways – an average of 43 each day. A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “Motorways can be the most dangerous places to break...

Traffic lights in London will get an environmental makeover when they are replaced by a longer lasting and energy-efficient design. Mayor Boris Johnson revealed that 3,500 traffic lights in London would be replaced by a design that uses energy-saving LEDs (light-emitting diode). LED lights have the added advantage of lasting ten times...

The Naturmobil may be a contender for the title, ‘world’s greenest car’, but it is also one of the most bizarre vehicles ever created. The car has a horse in place of a conventional engine, but rather than pulling the vehicle like a cart, the animal powers a treadmill. Twenty gears help translate the horse’s movement into a top speed on...

Olympic officials at London’s 2012 Games are being urged by the capital’s mayor Boris Johnson to leave their cars at home during the event.The London premiere wrote a letter saying that, where possible, he would urge the "Olympic family" to give up their cars and use bus or rail services.Mr Johnson’s comments...

In the fifty years since the advent of the three-point car safety belt it is estimated that it has saved the lives of one million motorists. In Europe alone, the safety belt is estimated to reduce road fatalities by 40 percent every year. Volvo was also the first manufacturer to fit three-point safety belts as standard equipment in its...

A new type of bicycle does away with the need for a pump, a lock and even the need to pedal, but the labour-saving features come at a high price – the new Boardman road bike costs £500,000. The futuristic-looking machine is made from lightweight carbon fibre and features puncture-proof, self-inflating tyres, a battery motor and sound system...

A new television advertisement warning motorists about the dangers of driving while under the influence of drugs is set to launch tonight (August 17th). The campaign points out that the police are trained to spot people who have got behind the wheel after taking illegal substances. Signs of drug use include dilated or constricted pupils....

New drivers should make sure they keep safety features in mind when buying their first car according to the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM). Neil Greig, IAM director of policy, said: “Cost is a key issue, but opting for the cheapest vehicle can mean cutting safety corners and paying more to run it – newer cars tend to have...

Visitors to the Science Museum in London this week had the chance to see one of the driverless electric shuttle pods that will next year take thousands of passengers to and from Terminal Five at Heathrow Airport – a technology that could eventually do away with the need for cars. The Personal Rapid Transport (PRT) system currently being...

Toyota has announced plans to produce a new hybrid car which is more fuel efficient than the Prius. The city car-sized vehicle is expected to achieve a fuel economy of about 85mpg. Japanese newspaper, Yomiuri Shimbun, reports that the firm will launch a hybrid based on the Toyota Viz, a model known in Britain as the Yaris. The car is...