News

When we have concerns over our weight or general health and well-being, we are likely to reassess our eating habits and perhaps look into a gym membership. We are less likely to look into our transport choices, which are more likely to be made on the basis of cost and convenience. This makes little sense. Transport is a major factor in...

In a bid to improve air quality so poor that temporary bans have been imposed on diesel vehicles, folk in Oslo are being offered grants of up to £1,100 towards the cost of an electric cargo bike. On top of the electric bike grants, the country is spending over £800m on bike infrastructure in a bid to encourage drivers out of their cars. In...

As we become older and more frail, the risk to us from road danger increases dramatically. Those aged 65-84 are less likely to be involved in road traffic collisions than children, but when there are, they are three times more likely to be killed. The statistics are startling. 5470 children in 2013 were the victims of road traffic...

Imagine the freedom of travel made possible by an inflatable house that folds small enough to fit in your pocket. Travel is perfect excuse to question how much stuff we need. When everything from the number of socks to the amount of living space comes up for discussion, we get the opportunity to experience a more simple and sustainable...

An unintended consequence of driverless car technology may be that it forces motor insurers to improve their moral standards. As a driver, it's natural to assume that one's insurer will act with decency. Unfortunately, the events that take place on your behalf following a collision in which you are at fault take place largely behind the...

Britain may have an electric railway that this year celebrates its 134th birthday, but electrification of the entire network lags behind other European countries. Forty per cent of the British rail network was electrified by 2006, representing 60% of all rail journeys. However, electrification of remaining lines, particularly with the...

Is it greener to buy a new, fuel-efficient car or run your current motor into the ground? Car salesmen would have you believe that new is best, but older can be less environmentally-damaging overall as well as easier on your pocket. Most car cost calculators are skewed by depreciation; a factor that is significant in the first three years,...

Everybody deserves access to green space, but in our ever-growing cities it competes against a feverish appetite for luxury flats. And while architects drawings always feature greenery, it’s unusual for it to survive the journey from plan to plants. Trust the Scandinavians to come up with a flat-pack solution. The Growroom is a...

While mirrors don't replace the need for the occasional glance over your shoulder to check the road behind, they can be a useful accessory - particularly for novice cyclists. Strange then, that so few of us use them. It appears the traditional handlebar-mounted mirror has gone the way the way of the mudguard; no longer regarded as...

MyCanoe is an origami-inspired design that folds into a bag that weighs only 23 kg and can be carried over the shoulder. Both body and soul benefit from time spent on the water, but boating is understandably overlooked by urban folk who seldom have enough room to store bicycles, let alone a canoe. It’s unfortunate because a navigable river...