How one commuter has beaten the petrol price hikes... by building his own pedal-powered 'velomobile'

A commuter has found a novel way of defying soaring petrol prices - by travelling to work each day in a pedal-powered 'torpedo bike'.


As for many, the daily gas-guzzling commute had become an increasingly expensive chore for Ian Fardoe.


So the cycling development worker found an aerobic way to beat the petrol price hikes on his home-made velomobile.




Pedal-power: Ian Fardoe beats the rising petrol prices by making his six- mile daily commute to work in a velomobile

The 39-year-old, travels the six-mile journey from his home in Whitmore Reans, Staffordshire, in the wacky vehicle, which consists of an adapted tricycle wrapped in a plastic casing.


Sitting only a few inches above the gravel of the A449 Ian can be seen each day being passed by stunned drivers of cars, vans and articulated lorries.


But Ian has been in love with this futuristic form of travel since his first encounter with a velomobile seven years ago. And he says he feels perfectly safe travelling this way along the Midlands' busy highways.


'I first came across them when someone brought one into Maclaines's bike shop in Wolverhampton, where I had worked previously, to part exchange it,' he said.


'The staff all wanted me to ride it. They said: "this is something you'd like, one of these daft bikes," and I liked it straight away.


'I don't feel vulnerable, becaure everyone sees me. People say: "aren't you worried about drivers not seeing you?", but I'm not worried because everybody stares.'


While Ian has gradually built his own bike over the last 18 months, the initial cost of buying a velomobile can be off-putting, with commercial vehicles costing £6-10,000 - but the running costs are minimal.


'There are no petrol costs, and there's not much maintenance involved because it is just made of standard bike stuff.


'And all the running gear is enclosed so it is not affected by the usual silt and muck you would get on most bikes so they last a lot longer.


'Most people I know who have one know how to repair them themselves, but If they'd take it you could probably get it repaired at your local bike shop.'


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A little goes a long way: Ian Fardoe is swamped in his velomobile alongside other traffic

But it is not just the daily commute in which Ian uses his velomobile. He had been a keen bicycle racer for several years before he discovered velomobiles and now competes in about 12 velomobile races each year.


His hobby has even taken him as far as Holland, where velomobiles are far more popular, to compete and he will take part in the World Championships in Italy this June, riding at Monza's famous Formula One race track.


'It is a great aerobic workout on the way to and from work so the concept of driving to a gym is so alien to me. I just change when I get to work,' he added.


'My vehicle is like a mobile sauna. It gets incredibly hot. A lot of commercial ones tend to be 'head out' vehicles so you are cooler, but I was riding around in it when it was minus 20 in a t-shirt and shorts and I wasn't cold.'

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Dramatic moment shopkeeper and his son fight off robbers with gun and knife

• Police release CCTV footage in appeal for information on suspects
Police are hoping that dramatic footage released today of a shopkeeper and his son fighting off two masked robbers armed with a gun and a knife will help them find the culprits.

CCTV images show the suspects, wearing balaclavas and hoods, casually enter the shop before one of the men puts a gun to the shopkeeper's head.

The shopkeeper's son races forward to tackle the gunman and the four men become involved in a violent scuffle.


Gun terror: The dramatic scene during the armed robbery at the Gonca supermarket in Finsbury Park, north London, on December 21 last year. The pistol is circled
The footage from inside the Gonca supermarket on Blackstock Road in Finsbury Park, north London, shows the gunman pistol-whipping the son while the knifeman tries repeatedly to stab the shopkeeper, bringing the weapon down towards his head.

After the incident, at 9.45pm on Tuesday, December 21, spilled out on to the street, the attackers fled empty-handed down nearby Monsell Road and may have got into a dark-coloured Vauxhall Astra.


Escape: The violence spills out on to the street before the robbers escape
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Got you: The suspect is caught on camera
Police say the gunman was about 20, wearing black bottoms, blue gloves and black trainers.The knifeman,also about 20, was wearing a black hooded top, black and white patterned bandana, and black bottoms with two white horizontal stripes and white trainers.
The 46-year-old shopkeeper and his 25-year-old son escaped with cuts and bruises.

Detectives are linking the incident to another armed robbery which took place minutes earlier at 9.37pm at My Shop, in Fortress Road, Kentish Town, where a gunman and knifeman entered the shop before threatening staff and making off with £300 cash from the till.

The first suspect was again described as wearing blue gloves, while the second man, armed with a 'kitchen-type' knife, was wearing a patterned bandana and tracksuit bottoms with two white stripes down the legs.
The pair escaped along Burghley Road from Dartmouth Park Hill, leaving staff shocked but unhurt.

Detective Constable Dawn Bolitho, from Finchley Flying Squad, said: 'These are clearly men who are fully prepared to use violence and we would urge anyone with information to please contact us as soon as possible.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 020 8358 1751 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Two mothers and their toddler children banned from council-funded playgroup - for being BRITISH

• 'They asked me what race I was and I said British. They said I couldn't come in'
Two mothers who were kicked out of a council-funded playgroup spoke of their humiliation today after being told the group was for immigrant families only.
Emma Knightley, 25, and Kimberley Wildman, 27, turned up at the 'Making Links' playgroup with their children Imogen, 21 months, and Olivia, 18 months.

But they were stunned when organisers at the centre in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, ordered them to leave after demanding to know 'what country are you from?'


Emma Knightley with her 21-month-old daughter Imogen and Kimberley Wildman with her daughter Olivia, 16 months, who tried to join the 'Making Links' playgroup in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, but were told it is only for immigrants
The best friends were told that only foreign mothers and their children are welcome at the council-funded playgroup - which they have accused of discrimination.

Shop worker Emma, who lives in St Neots, booked a place at the playgroup six weeks ago after it was recommended by a mixed-race friend.
'I said I knew it was trying to integrate people into the community but didn't realise that meant British people and their children were banned'

She said: 'The first thing I was asked about was my nationality and when I said I was British I was told we had to leave.

'She said are you not aware this is for foreign people only?

'I said I knew it was trying to integrate people into the community but didn't realise that meant British people and their children were banned.

'I felt humiliated. It shouldn't matter what nationality you are we shouldn't be discriminated against.

'You wouldn't get away with a British-only mum and children's group.

'We want to welcome other nations to the community but turning British people away is not the way to do this.'

Trainee midwife Kimberley, also from St Neots, chose the group because it was free - whereas other groups in the area charged £2.

She said: 'They asked me what race I was and I said British. They said I couldn't come in. It's ridiculous.

Making trouble: The playgroup is located in the town's Priory Centre where the women were left feeling humiliated and discriminated against
'Surely if this group is about making links in the community they should let all people in, regardless of race or nationality.

'It's a real shame. I want my children to play with children from other races and integrate in the community because that stops discrimination.

'I can't believe we were discriminated against because we are British.'
Making Links, which is based at the Priory Centre in the town, is funded by a £1,000 annual grant from St Neots Town Council.

The community group is staffed by church volunteers and also receives money from the Co-operative community development fund and the Open Door Church in St Neots.


Emma and Kimberley had taken their daughters along after successfully registering to join the group before Christmas. But as they began to sit down at the Priory Centre, organisers realised they were British and asked them to leave
According to Making Links' website the group 'seeks to operate in the spirit of the Commission for Racial Equality'.

Its targets include: 'bringing communities together and facilitating interaction between them'.

The website claims about 50 women attend the weekly sessions every Thursday.

It adds: 'Making Links frees them from feelings of isolation, helps them build multicultural friendships and empowers them with knowledge about the local community.

'Thus Making Links presents a friendly St Neots face to people who might otherwise be outsiders.'

Roger Owen, administrator for Making Links, said that the group is not a 'typical' playgroup and is funded entirely for women from other nationalities.

He said: 'We believe there are plenty of other alternatives for British mothers in the town.

'We have had an issue with men turning up before and back then we told them the group is strictly for mothers so it's nothing to do with racial discrimination.'

According to the Equality and Human Rights Commission website, under the Equality Act 2010 it ir not unlawful to set up a group especially for a particular ethnic or national group.

Under the act discrimination based on colour is unlawful.
No-one from St Neots Town Council was available for comment.

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