Welcome to our new news service.
In here are some cycling stories from the past month which made it out into the wide world.

.free bikes
In Inverness bikes handed into the police which go unclaimed are to be offered to commuters to cycle the last bit of their journey to work. Where the bikes would normally have gone to be sold at auction they will now 're-cycled' for commuters to use them from the city's Rose Street car park. While completely free of charge potential riders will have to call to book a bike and will be given a code to unlock the bike.

.vat's the fault of the eu...
Britain admitted that it had no control over any EU policy. At least that's what the response to the much-feted, but little use, online petition service to 10 Downing Street amounts to. After receiving more thn 7,000 signatures. "When the UK joined the European Community in 1973, it meant signing up to the general agreements which covered the application of VAT throughout the EC. Under these and subsequent agreements, signed by successive governments, we are allowed to keep our existing VAT zero rates but not to introduce new ones."