News

Many of Britain’s commuter cyclists are continuing to ride to work throughout the cold snap, but as freshly fallen snow begins to turn to slush, which can add to the slipperiness of underlying ice, cyclists are being urged to take extra care. Cyclists show all the grit Whilst cyclists themselves have not been short on grit this winter,...

A kit that transforms any bicycle into a caterpillar track-driven snow bike may become a useful piece of kit for British cyclists if the weather we have experienced this month becomes an annual event. The KtraK kit costs around £350 and is popular in mountain resorts in America and Canada. The kit replaces the front wheel with a ski bade...

With snowy conditions on British roads a continuing challenge for many motorists, a Korean car manufacturer has this week launched an electric car designed to tackle most conditions on land and water. CT&T is well placed to build the Multi Amphibious Vehicle – it claims to have more electric vehicle manufacturing capacity than any of...

The popularity of electric-assist bicycles is a growing, global phenomenon with over 120 million of the bikes already in existence. Over 20,000 electric-assist bicycles, or ‘e-bikes’ are sold in Britain each year and their growing popularity on roads around Europe has prompted calls for revised regulation. Electrically-assisted pedal cycles...

The government is considering a change to the law that would allow Electric Personal Vehicles (EPV), such as the Segway, to be used on the roads and cycle paths. A public consultation will run for twelve weeks until the end of March. The Segway’s performance … at a glance Top speed 12mph Range 24 miles Charging time 8 hours Cost...

The horrendous driving conditions caused by this week’s icy weather yesterday resulted in a self-imposed 20mph speed limit across much of the country. As motorists struggled to negotiate slippery roads, the speed of traffic on many roads yesterday rarely exceeded 20mph. The Environmental Transport Association (ETA) coined the phrase ‘twenty...

With almost every area of the country covered in snow and more extreme weather forecast for the coming days, many drivers are embarking on trips in hazardous conditions without taking adequate precautions. Over one thousand drivers on the A3 in Hampshire were snowbound before being rescued by the army. The cold temperature is causing car...

The question of why half as many British women as men cycle – the lowest number of young women cycling anywhere in Europe – is examined in a new film documentary, Beauty and the Bike. The Darlington council-sponsored film compares the cycling habits and attitudes of young women in Germany and north-east England. Darlington is one of six...

New car technology that allows drivers to switch their cars to automatic pilot and join a fast-moving queue of tailgating vehicles travelling at speeds of up to 70mph may be commonplace on British motorways within a decade. The ‘road train’ technology would enable a line of up to eight cars to drive behind a lead vehicle that would do all...

Specialist car builder Rinspeed has gained a reputation for the ambitious concept cars it unveils each year at the Geneva Motor Show, and its most recent design – a two-seater electric city car that boosts its range by travelling onboard a train – is no different. The Rinspeed ‘UC?’measures only 2.5 metres in length and is designed to drive...