Bicycles that purify the air as they travel could be trialled in UK city

Bicycles that purify the air as they travel could be trialled in a UK city in an effort to combat air pollution.

Rolloe bicycles, created by London South Bank University student Kristen Tapping, use pollution filters in their wheels, which purify the air as the rider pedals.

Belfast could introduce a pilot scheme adding a number of the bicycles to the city’s fleet following a proposal by Councillor Daniel Baker.

Cllr Baker put forward a motion at Belfast City Council’s city growth and regeneration committee on Wednesday which the committee agreed to adopt.  

The motion calls on the council “to explore a pilot scheme to use Rolloe on Belfast bikes”.

If the trial is successful it is hoped the bicycles could be rolled out more widely.

Cllr Baker told The Independent: “Belfast has one of the biggest dependencies on cars of all UK cities — every house has two or three cars — and this is something we are trying to change as we try to tackle the climate crisis.

“I came across Rolloe and I thought that is brilliant, it wouldn’t solve the problem of air pollution but wouldn’t it be great for people to have a conversation.

“It’s about changing mindsets, getting people thinking about what we can do — we need to be doing more.  

“It’ll save lives, help the environment. That’s why I like this design.

“I know it’s early days but politics moves slowly, when this is ready and looking for a home for a pilot I want Belfast to be ready to give it a home.”

A spokesperson for Belfast City Council said: "Members of Belfast City Council’s city growth and regeneration committee agreed on 11 November to receive a future report on how a possible pilot scheme using Rolloe on Belfast Bikes could be facilitated, resourced and managed. The committee’s decision will require ratification by full council."

Rolloe bicycles, from the phrase “roll off emissions”, use washable filters to purify dirty air as it travels through the wheels.

Ms Tapping, an industrial design graduate, won first place in the 2020 Design Innovation in Plastics competition for the idea.

She said the design was a response to the problem of growing air pollution around the world, describing it as “a filter system for urban cycle hire schemes that uses the wheel’s rotary motion to draw air in at street level and force it through a series of filters.”