News

The government is to stop discouraging local authorities from implementing technology designed to minimise traffic congestion. ‘Green wave’ sensors detect vehicles travelling within the speed limit and trigger a succession of green lights. The system reduces fuel consumption by minimising stop/start driving. Congestion-easing technology...

New research suggests emissions from shipping are responsible for the premature deaths of an estimated 39,000 people across Europe. Britain and Ireland are particularly badly affected because they have long coastlines with some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes just offshore. According to The Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in...

New plans by London mayor, Boris Johnson could see cyclists around Britain being allowed to turn left at red traffic lights. Under the proposals cyclists would wait for a safe gap in the traffic and allow right of way to pedestrians – much the same as any other junction. However, the opportunity to pass through the red light would allow...

General Motors (GM) and Segway have revealed a new type of vehicle which both companies believe could revolutionise the way people travel in urban spaces. Named the Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility (Puma) project, it is a two-seat, electrically-powered prototype with two wheels which could allow people to move through cities more...

The Italian designers responsible for styling some the world’s most exotic cars, including Ferraris and Maseratis, are to give a make over to Eurostar, the high-speed rail passenger service that links Britain and mainland Europe. Eurostar launched in 1994 and its twenty-eight trains are now deserving of a revamp. Pininfarina will be...

One-hundred-and-eleven teams have entered the Progressive Auto X Prize , a competition that will award $10million (£7m) to vehicles that can achieve a fuel efficiency equivalent to 100mpg. The main $7.5-million prize is open to vehicles with four wheels that are able to carry four people a distance of 200 miles on one load of their chosen...

The number of people travelling by plane could fall as predictions come that the industry will become exclusive and purely for the wealthy.ABTA – The Travel Association, which represents travel agents and tour operators, says flying could become more expensive and become something that is only for the elite.Sean Tipton, a spokesperson...

Segway has unveiled a two-seat version of its stand-up electric scooter. The PUMA (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility project) will be manufactured by American car maker General Motors with production starting in 2012. The vehicle uses Lithium-ion batteries to give a range of 35 miles and a top speed of 35mph. The self-balancing Puma...

Lightning Hybrids is the latest micro car maker to unveil a design for a super-efficient four seater. The LH4 is powered by three-cylinder turbo biodiesel that is expected to deliver 100mpg. Its performance is further boosted by a hydraulic pump/motor, which is re-charged through energy lost during braking. The car is a potential candidate...

Drivers are thinking of their wallets and the environment while behind the wheel, research from Saga has suggested. According to a study carried out by the group’s motor insurance arm, 70 per cent of Britons are taking steps to cut the amount they spend on their cars. Of these, 28 per cent look for cheaper fuel before buying. A recent poll...