CONCERNED at the ever escalating cost of fuel, Soham man Peter McCaig has decided to ditch his car in favour of a more novel form of transport.

CONCERNED at the ever escalating cost of fuel, Soham man Peter McCaig has decided to ditch his car in favour of a more novel form of transport.

As petrol prices peaked at �1.30 a litre in April, Mr McCaig, of The Cotes, decided enough was enough and invested �200 in one of Sir Clive Sinclair’s 1985 design exercises, the electric and pedal-powered C5.

Mr McCaig bought the vehicle from internet auction site E-bay and now makes the journey into work along the A142 every morning alongside cars, motorbikes and 32-ton lorries.

Peter’s vehicle, one of 12,000 made, has a top speed of about 15mph and is in stark contrast to the huge school bus he drives at his place of work in Barway.

“It’s certainly keeping me fit and it’s helping me with my suntan as well,” said Mr McCaig.

“The only problem with the C5 is that being so low down, it can get quite hairy when lorries overtake but I haven’t had any incidents yet. It is very different to driving a bus but I think it has helped to make me more aware while I’m driving.”

Mr McCaig said he had originally wanted a C5 when they were launched in the 1980s but was unable to afford one at the time.

Though he admits it is hard to put a figure on how much he has saved since switching to the C5, Mr McCaig says he has spent �10 a week less on petrol since ditching his car.

With spare parts still readily available on the internet though, Mr McCaig expects to save a few more pounds as he becomes a familiar site along the A142 in the months to come.