Green Transport News

The Chevrolet Volt coming to Britain

admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:14:09 +0000

There has been a lot of consumer interest in the Chevrolet Volt, and for good reason, because it is one of the first electric cars that offer a stunning life span after just one charge. The standard perception of an electric car is that it is good for running around town and doing short errands before the battery dies, and the car either needs recharging or fuelled to continue running.

However, the Volt is an electric car that breaks previous stereotypes and dares to be daring with the ability to offer drivers a range of more than 300 miles, which is quite a bit more than a quick jump to the store. The Chevrolet Volt can offer users this great flexibility when it comes to driving because it is not an electric car that relies on its battery powers alone, but it’s also not a hybrid, allowing it to sit alone in a class of its own when it hits the UK this spring.

There is a lot of interest in the Volt already building so the public is invited to register their interest at http://www.chevrolet.co.uk/cars/volt/ in order to make sure they get a chance at one of the limited models.

At first only a set number of Volts are going to released to drivers in the UK as Chevy test the waters to see just how much interest there is for the Volt, so those who want to try out the magic of the new electric car are going to want to make sure to get on the waiting lists early. Plus, with a price tag assigned to the vehicle of only £28, 545, once you add in the grants that are offered by the Government currently, you can bet people are going to quickly snap up the Volt.

For those that have been on the edge about purchasing an electric car due to range anxiety, the Volt is the clear answer as it offers an electric drive unit to power the car at all times, and it also offers a 1.4L petrol generator that is able to move the supply of electricity along equally, allowing the Volt to reach up towards 300 miles in one trip. In order to work at its full capacity the electric car only needs to be plugged in for six hours and it’s ready to hit the road.

Article for Chevrolet

Boris Island airport looks like it will happen

Alan — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:18:21 +0000

‘Boris Island’ is set to go ahead after the Prime Minister gave the go-ahead on a new London airport. So called because it was Boris Johnson, the London Mayor, who put forward the plans.A LibDem intervention delayed the original announcement, because their official policy opposes expansion of the airports in the country, based on environmental grounds.

In his official blog, Boris Johnson said that the country’s demand for travel was due to double over the next 20 years. In order to fly 460 million people every year, there would need to be a new strategy.

The Government has been focussing on promoting high-speed rail as an alternative to short-haul flights. Such a tactic works within the UK, or to Europe, but it is not plausible for trains to replace planes on journeys to America or China. It is suggested that even if the high-speed rail networks are completed, then no more than 10% of Heathrow’s traffic would be eliminated.

In order to prevent further contributions to global warming, the aviation industry needs to find ways of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, air travel is judged to cause 2.5% of the UK’s emissions, and to stay within the Government’s limits more green technology and techniques must be developed, such as ‘Prius’ planes and reduced taxiing.

Heathrow is the UK’s busiest airport, but it is already running almost entirely to capacity, with the result that 40% of flights get delayed, which is a much higher percentage than is found at other major European airports (Frankfurt, Paris or Amsterdam). This is in spite of the recent opening of Terminal 5. More runway space is needed to help alleviate the increased travel levels.

West Midlands environmental organisations unhappy with high speed rail line

Alan — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:53:15 +0000

Environmental organisations based in the West Midlands have reacted with disappointment to this week’s announcement by the government that they are going ahead with the planned high-speed rail link between London and Birmingham. Aiming to be operational by 2026, the new multi-billion pound project would cut travel time between the Midlands and the capital by 20 minutes and there are plans to extend the HS2 service further north.

The chief executive of Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Stephen Trotter, says that his organisation has already identified over 80 sites that will be damaged by the new railway line, destroying animal habitats and increasing noise pollution in rural areas. Meanwhile, West Midlands Friends of the Earth are more concerned that such a huge investment in just one project will mean that rural public transport will lose out, cutting essential bus routes in the areas that will be most affected by the construction of the HS2.

Not everyone in the region is against the government’s plans, however, with Shaun Spiers of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) welcoming proposals to build large sections of the train line underneath tunnels, protecting the natural environment and creating less damage to the scenery than most other road and rail projects.

These stretches of tunnel, in areas such as Long Itchington Wood as well as parts of the Chilterns, were not included in the original scheme, but were added after consultations with local people and concerned groups who would have been affected by a train service that ran overground. Despite these changes, the project remains controversial with many questioning the wisdom of spending £32 billion on any project when the UK remains in a recession.

Transport companies need to help reduce world carbon emissions

Alan — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:42:43 +0000

Reducing emissions is always something that is on the international agenda and seems to be an almost daily feature in the press. Climate change talks have recently been taking place in Durban.

One of the most major contributors to carbon dioxide emission around the world are logistic and transport companies. They are constantly being urged to reduce the amount of emissions they are creating and work towards their environmental commitment targets.

A recent survey conducted in the UK looked at transport companies and over 3 million vans in the UK were found to not meet the emission standards set by Europe. The additional cost to companies associated with making these vans more environmentally friendly is going to add a significant cost to many transport companies in the country.

In 2010 the number of carbon emissions being emitted in the UK increased by nearly 6 percent. Despite calls from various groups for more efficient transport, the number of emissions continues to increase. It is expected that the cost of not being environmentally friendly is going to eventually outweigh the cost of reducing the emissions that vehicles make.

The increasing price of fuel, as well as governments taxes on higher emission vehicles, are incentives for companies to reduce the amount of pollution they are creating. Many companies are developing plans that are more environmentally friendly and this is making hybrid and electric vehicles more popular because they have reduced running costs.

Some companies, such as Citroen, are even starting to give subsidies to companies in the UK who start using their more efficient transport vehicles. It is hoped that this type of vehicle will reduce companies costs while decreasing their environmental impact.

Cycle-commuting is crease free with Suitpack rucksack design

Alan — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:51:42 +0000

Cambridge Design Partnership’s innovative design allows commuters to keep fit and look smart

Cycle-commuting is crease free with Suitpack rucksack design

Cycling to work, whether to keep fit or for simple convenience, has risen sharply in popularity in recent years. The problem is that for those who have to dress smartly for work, cycling is mainly impractical. Those commuters who wish to cycle to work often have to sacrifice their smart look and struggle to find a way in which they can cycle to work while still looking slick.

The answer to this problem may have now arrived, due to the innovative solution that has been announced by the Cambridge Design Partnership. They have revealed their new compact rucksack prototype named Suitpack, which is an ingenious yet very simple roll fold concept, that they have patented, and combines convenience with crease free clothes.

Suitpack is designed to hang easily from most locations, and allows easy access to the toiletry, shoes and clothes compartments. It has been designed for speed of use, and its novel folding system makes it an all round solution for modern commuters.

Increased commuting time and the ever more common practice of working long hours often mean that there is little time outside of work to dedicate to exercise. The convenience of cycling as a form of exercise, the popularity of various government cycling initiatives, and financial and environmental concerns, have all resulted in a significant net increase in cycle-commuting. 1.3 million new UK cyclists joined the roads last year, there are now 783,000 cycle commuters and the increase in cycling levels is predicted to continue to grow another 20% by 2015.

Furthermore, cyclists clearly enjoy spending on their passion¹: The bicycle market in the UK was worth £1.62 billion in 2010, (up 28% on the previous year), with the accessories market worth £853 million. The average cycle commuter spends, on average, £195/year, and ‘enthusiasts’ a whopping £1295/year, on accessories. And that’s just the UK market; the EU cycle market is 10 times the UK’s with 4 million frequent commuter cyclists.

As part of their ethos to think differently, Cambridge Design Partnership has ventured into new capabilities by combining their traditional engineering and innovation skills with ‘cut and stitch’ design. This is another example of flexibility and versatility in applying innovation to diverse market opportunities and technology areas with the ability to gather rich, in-depth research to discover unmet consumer needs and tackle them with creative solutions.

“We know the challenges faced by anyone who has to pack smart clothes for the journey to work,” commented Ben Strutt, Head of Design at Cambridge Design Partnership. “Most people who go to the gym early, cycle or jog to work, and commute regularly in ‘practical’ clothes understand the need to change into smart attire upon arrival. This can be annoying and time consuming, leaving the unsatisfactory options of disruption to personal routine; lack of exercise, or commuting via different methods. There is also the issue of office changing facilities which tend to be cramped, impersonal, with floors too wet to put clothes on.

“Very often the trick of good design is not to reinvent the wheel; but to identify and understand problems, give a fresh perspective, and address a burning gap in the market. Here, Cambridge Design Partnership has provided an innovative, graceful solution to what is, for many people, an everyday problem, and which addresses a huge market need.”

It’s not just cyclists who will benefit from Suitpack. Many traditional commuters wish to go to the gym before or after work, or during their lunch break, and Suitpack provides a convenient temporary storage solution for smart clothes. It also fits within the dimensions of ‘hand luggage’ allowed by European airports and in railway ceiling racks, allowing business commuters to travel in comfort with all of the convenience of the backpack form-factor. Also despite its compact size there is still space for a laptop and important daily accessories.

Graham Henderson, business commuter and partner in the project, says: “Life in the city can be fast and days in the office are often long, so many people find they don’t have time to go to the gym or play any sport. Commuting by bike solves this problem by incorporating exercise into your daily routine, so a healthy lifestyle and a busy job are no longer incompatible. But the problem of what to wear means the only options seem to be turning up with crumpled trousers, keeping your wardrobe under your desk or taking transport and exercising later. The Suitpack is a smart solution to all this.”

CDP’s Head of Design continues “Cambridge Design Partnership’s most recent demonstrator has evolved during the application of our usual iterative design process; with rapid experimentation and critiquing of successive models and prototypes we quickly learn about problems and opportunities, while refining the design for cost and labour effective manufacture.”

Cambridge Design Partnership is now interested in speaking with potential partners about the future branding and development of the Suitpack backpack, or its core innovations into other luggage designs, and on to the manufacture and distribution phase.

New London buses hit the road

Alan — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:50:12 +0000

The bendy buses which many see as a blight on London are finally being replaced. The buses were seen as a problem for the city because they were dangerous to cyclists as their movements were unpredictable and they also allowed people to board without always paying

A new type of double-decker has been introduced in London which the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has said are a much safer and better option for the city. In the next few weeks this new type of bus will be tested by Arriva. The bus company are going to be responsible for staffing the buses when they enter service this year.

A new fleet of these buses is going to come into service in late February and start serving the busiest routes immediately. The number 38 bus is going to be one of the first to be replaced and is going to take people from Victoria Station to Hackney. Assuming these initial trial runs are successful, the buses going to be rolled out for use across London in the next few years.

In testing, these new buses also proved themselves to be one of the most environmentally friendly buses yet.Compared with the current diesel buses on the streets of London the vehicle emits around half the amount of carbon dioxide. The bus is designed by Heatherwick Studio and is going to be engineered and built in Northern Ireland.

Thomas Heatherwick from the company has said, “It’s been over 50 years since the last time a bus was specially designed the London. My team have had an opportunity that comes around once in a lifetime and we are pleased to have developed this new bus. We were honoured to be chosen for this privilege and we hope the buses are everything London needs.”

Swiftyone Commuter Scooter must-have product for 2012

Alan — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:59:22 +0000

WORLD’S FIRST ADULT FOLDING KICK-SCOOTER – ‘SWIFTYONE’

Swiftyone Commuter Scooter must-have product for 2012

Speaking to the design team of SwiftyONE, you find out why it was first created, what makes it so different from other kick scooters we will see on the streets during 2012, and also what it is that makes the SwifyONE so special.

• Designed for men and women between the ages of 18-50

• Smooth and fast to ride – as fast as cycling!

• Lightweight. Weighs just 7.5kg and available in either matt black or cool white.

• Fully adjustable handlebars up to a maximum height of 110cms, ideal for taller customers.

• Size when unfolded: Length 145cm, Width 15cm (excluding handle bar width 54cm), Height 90-110cm. Size when folded: Length 108cm, Width 18cm, Height 65cm.

• Designed for life, it is manufactured locally in Manchester, and carefully assembled in the Swifty Scooters workshop in Salford

• Environmentally friendly

• Tested to BS EN 14619:2005 standard for the UK and Europe

• RRP: £450

For further information, visit www.swiftscooters.com for more about the product.

Plastic bridge completed

Alan — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 09:45:34 +0000

A New Jersey-based developer of plastic products is Axion International Holdings. They’ve recently announced that they have completed the construction of the first plastic bridge in Europe. The bridge has been constructed in Scotland in the county of Pebbleshire. The bridge runs across the River Tweed and is mostly made of recycled materials including a special composite that has been developed by the company.

The bridge is 90 feet long and has been made from 50 tonnes of waste that has been recycled. The bridge is capable of holding heavy goods vehicles and was constructed partly in the United States before being shipped to Scotland.

The construction time in Scotland was incredibly small and all the work was completed within two weeks, thanks to most of the assembly being done in the US. The bridge replaces a timber and steel bridge that was reaching the end of its useful life.

The new bridge is also expected to last for a long time because it will not rust or rot because it is constructed from plastic. In addition to this it does not require painting or as much maintenance as a traditional bridge due to its intelligent construction. The bridge is also friendly for the environment and contains no toxins and it is expected that when the bridge reaches the end of its life it will be completely recyclable.

It is widely expected that in the near future the new plastic technology that has been developed by the company will be used to replace a wide number of building materials. It is expected that this new green option will replace large amount of MDF, plywood, steel and reduce the need for the consumption of natural resources. It is also a way of showing people that plastic need not be wasted and is a fully recyclable material.

Dial-a-Ride London

Alan — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:34:23 +0000

Dial-a-Ride are new vehicles being offered by Transport for London and they are soon going to be using biofuel in 12 of them. This means that the vehicles are going to be producing an estimated 25% less CO2 emissions than a normal vehicle powered with diesel would. It is expected that if the trial is successful the rest of the fleet will also be using biofuel in the future.

The bio diesel is going to be provided by Argent Energy and is going to be recovered from cooking oil. The Mayor of London has stated that this plan is part of the drive by the city to reduce the carbon emissions in the city and keep oil out of landfill.

Kulveer Ranger is the Director of Environment in London and he said, “Mayor Johnson is keen to see London becoming a greener and cleaner city. He is dedicated to finding new technologies that produce less carbon emissions and one of these is biofuel.” The director of development at Argent Energy, Dickon Posnett, has commented, “We are very pleased to be able to offer a new bio diesel to and it is a very sustainable solution for the city.”

Transport for London have recently introduced a whole range of initiatives that are aimed at reducing carbon emissions in London, including five buses running on hydrogen fuel cell technology in the city running between Tower Gateway station and Covent Garden.

It is expected that in the near future three more buses will be purchased that will run on hydrogen. When these buses join the fleet, the first routes in London will start to be covered entirely by buses that are only using hydrogen. Currently over 170 hybrid diesel buses are being run in the city which are more environmentally friendly than their straight diesel counterparts.

Tay and Forth bridges tolls may come back to meet green targets

Alan — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 03:53:26 +0000

MSP’s have been told that in order for Scotland to meet its targets on carbon emissions, the tolls on the Tay and Forth bridges may have to be re-introduced. This shock revelation has come from Robert Black, the auditor general, who has said that the Scottish Government is facing major challenges to meet the target they have set themselves of reducing emissions by 42% by the year 2020.

He has highlighted the recent report from Audit Scotland which states that the SNP will have to reconsider introducing new policies that they have previously ruled out, such as road pricing schemes. There are road pricing schemes currently being implemented in other parts of the UK, and these include congestion charges and bridge tolls.

The SNP abolished the tolls on the Tay and Forth bridges in 2007 following a campaign championed by The Courier, but Mr Black has told the public audit committee at Holyrood that these schemes have to be reconsidered if they have any chance of meeting their emission targets. The aim is that these extra charges will encourage more drivers to switch to environmentally friendlier options to travel such as public transport.

When Mr Black addressed the committee he told them that to make steps forward in this area, policies that were discarded as unattractive in the past will need to be seriously reconsidered. He also said that if Scotland, as a society, were going to significantly increase the impact of the policy, then some of these areas would have to be look at as all the other areas of significance were already being addressed.

The Green MSP Patrick Harvie, who has previously opposed the scrapping of the tolls, has said that Mr Black is correct in flagging up such areas as road pricing schemes, as an alternative to taxes, as a way to drive down emissions. He also said that a well designed and careful approach to road pricing would benefit peoples pockets, the environment and local economies more than taxes would, and it was time for a serious debate on the idea.