News

If it's possible to beautify an electricity pylon, why shouldn't all infrastructure be elegant? Indeed, when physical and organisational facilities exist to serve people, and most should, beauty should perhaps be an imperative. Iceland has commissioned highly sculptural electricity pylons that resemble giant human figures striding across...

Our inflatable zebra crossing, which we designed to help schools campaign for safe crossings, came to the aid of different community group this week when it travelled to a retirement complex in Stapleford. Carpenters Court offers 48 dwellings for older folk and is situated next to a busy road. As part of the original plans, £40,000 was paid...

An Army officer caught doing 130mph in his Aston Martin this week received little more than a slap on the wrist after arguing he needed his driving licence in order to complete an army tour of the Falklands. James Golding was lucky. Not only did the magistrate go soft, but more importantly, his driving at almost twice the limit did not...

Bicycles perform excellently in the kind of conditions that have paralysed roads this week. Although there exists a number of accessories to adapt bikes for snowy conditions -from metal-studded tyres to full caterpillar track systems - most are gimmicks that add very little real value. 2-wheel drive Japanese bicycle manufacturer Tretta has...

Keeping a bicycle under cover protects it from winter weather and prying eyes, but with urban areas short on garages and sheds, for many it is easier said than done. When a manufacturer of tents was challenged to address the problem, the result was BikeParka – a high-quality, fitted water-proof cover for bicycles. In the way that today’s...

If you are unlucky to suffer a car breakdown, common sense dictates that you switch on your vehicle's hazard lights before getting yourself and your passengers to a place of safety while you wait for recovery. LED road flares offer an additional way of minimising the risk of your vehicle being struck by an inattentive driver. At just 10cm...

Very little beats the excitement of a motorcycle trip, but how best to record the ride for posterity? Where should you mount your GOPRO on your motorcycle to get the best shots? What mounts and settings should you use? These questions and more answered in the video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qc0pDJT2as Motorcycle breakdown...

Cycling groups around the country this week have been left disappointed by the failure of their local authorities to grit cycle paths in treacherous icy conditions. While road gritting machines have been out in force, cycle paths have been neglected on grounds of cost or because they do not have the correct vehicles to complete the job. In...

Significant changes to social-economic conditions and living circumstances are the main factors behind a marked drop in car ownership among young people in the last generation, conclude academics from the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) in a study for the Department for Transport. The researchers found a decline in home...

The flamethrower-equipped bicycle above is our own tongue-in-cheek answer to the threat posed by drivers who overtake too close, but what practicable things can be done to protect cyclists? The Safer Roads Partnership and operational policing teams from both Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police have pioneered Operation Close Pass - a...