News

The Coronavirus curfew has drastically reduced traffic volumes and thereby unintentionally created a cycling paradise on many roads. Gone are the queues of idling traffic, aggression of impatient commuters. The accompanying noise, pollution and danger have been replaced by something approaching tranquillity. What better conditions for...

The chemicals you use to clean your home day-to-day can have a detrimental effect on the environment - not least because they invariably end up in the water supply. And while many cleaning products are now marketed as environmentally benign, invariably they come in plastic bottles – just one aspect of their production process and product...

Running a cycle camera on your handlebars or helmet doesn't make the roads feel any safer, but you do almost immediately feel less helpless. In the event of a road traffic incident, video footage goes a long way towards guaranteeing legal redress - it's a cycle insurance of sorts. One of the great frustrations about cycling on British roads...

The government has acknowledged that emerging technologies such as e-scooters are 'ripping up the rule book' and will consult on the rules required to allow the new technology to operate safely. Under plans announced by the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, e-scooters will initially be allowed in a series of 'future transport zones':...

It's easy to become confused at the conflicting, and occasionally chaotic, advice surrounding the Coronovirus virus, but on one thing everyone agrees: a fit and healthy body is far better prepared to deal with illness of any kind. Couple that with quieter-than-usual roads and the need to avoid close contact with others and cycling starts to...

Used by mechanics in bicycle workshops, the American-made Tyre Mate promises to pull the tightest of tyre beads over a rim without causing any damage to the tube, tyre or rim. It's lightweight and small enough to carry with you. According to the guys at the London Bike Kitchen, who sell the Tyre Mate for £17, "Just position the tool's rigid...

Dutch design student George Barratt-Jones has a novel approach to keeping rail commuters warm while they wait on a draughty platform. He has built a pedal-powered knitting machine that can conjure up a scarf in five minutes. According to Barratt-Jones, "It gets you warm by moving, you are making something while you wait and in the end you...

As the government promises yet another consultation into pavement parking, we're left wondering whether this anti-social and dangerous behaviour will ever be dealt with. As well as being a menace for the disabled, elderly and vulnerable, pavement parking is a downright nuisance for everyone. On top of that, it damages footways and is a...

Outdoor air pollution is responsible for 8.8m early deaths a year - higher even than the figure for smoking. It means that humans are losing three years of their lives on average, German researchers have found. Here in Britain the figure is 1.5 years. The study measured PM2.5 - atmospheric particulate matter (PM) that has a diameter of less...

As the world's cities wake up to the fact that they need to dramatically reduce the amount of pollution, danger and congestion caused by cars, motor manufacturers are scrabbling to reinterpret the idea of personal transport. For its part, Citroën is launching the Ami - a quirky electric vehicle that will cost less to run than a mobile...