POLLUTION SOLUTION TO PETROL PROBLEM!

As petrol forecourt prices climb to record highs and Britain witnesses a return to panic-buying at the pumps, two exciting new initiatives are being launched in support of alternatively fuelled vehicles.

New Ride and its associated programme Park & Charge are aimed at getting the people who live and work in the Camden area of London onto two wheels for their journeys in and around the borough. Not only for commuting but for leisure pursuits as well.

By encouraging people to consider alternatives to four-wheel travel, Camden is seeking to improve the quality of local life by reducing carbon and other harmful emissions associated with the internal combustion engine. It is also keen to reduce the impact of noise and congestion.

The New Ride programme embraces not only conventional pedal bicycles but also the latest generation of zero-emission electric cycles and moped scooters. With top speeds of 16mph and 30mph respectively, these rechargeable battery-powered machines are ideal for zipping around town and a wholly practical alternative to the car and, in many cases, public transport.

Matthew Prince, Senior Transport Planner for Camden Council, driving the New Ride project, said: “New Ride is encouraging more people to use two-wheeled vehicles to help reduce emissions, congestion and noise.

“Research has shown that most petrol scooters in the city are used for journeys of eight miles or less. With expensive parking and congestion charging there really hasn’t been a better time for a project like New Ride.”

One of the elements of New Ride is a new and innovative initiative called Park & Charge, which allows users of electrically powered two-wheelers and cars to store their vehicles in a safe and secure location and to connect them to a supply of electricity. In this way, the daily range of these vehicles can be at least doubled.

The Park & Charge system uses smart technology that recognises the voltage requirements of any battery-powered two-wheeler, ensuring a safe and efficient powering-up process. Most electric bikes or electric scooters can take a full recharge in less than four hours, at a cost of less than 10p a time.

The brand new Park & Charge docking station will be on display on Thursday 22^nd September for Car Free Day in Seven Dials.  There will also be a specific launch event for New Ride and the Park & Charge shortly to be arranged.  The NCP car park in Drury Lane will be the first in the UK to house a Park & Charge facility, which will be installed shortly (visit www.newride.org.uk for regular updates).