Students get up to speed with motorbike air fears

SCOTLAND'S first purpose-built motorbike testing lab has been launched by Edinburgh researchers in a bid to put the brakes on damaging greenhouse gas emissions.

The new Environmental Engineering Lab, which is equipped with its very own Honda motorbike, was unveiled by researchers at Edinburgh Napier University today.

The unique facility allows scientists to test the motorcycle's performance and emissions under a variety of engine, speed and weather conditions.

The researchers aim to work with leading companies in the manufacturing industry to shape the future of bike and fuel production.

Lead academic on the project within the Transport Research Institute (TRI) at the university, Dr Wafaa Saleh, said: "Various driving patterns are created using a simulator - we can look at emissions with different speeds, engine types and types of fuel.

"Our findings should be able to help the decision makers and policy people to make their decisions about what type of regulations they need to set.

"This is an important development in the area of emission monitoring and air quality.

"The fact that cars are big polluters is well recognised and investigated but, to date, research into motorbikes has been lagging behind.

"The work we will do in the lab aims to plug this gap by helping to inform new legislation on emissions."

The lab can also test alternative biofuels made from waste materials, such as oil from fast food restaurants.

Dr Saleh added: "This is done on a very small scale using oil from fish and chips and different restaurants."

The lab at the Merchiston campus has been developed over the last five years at a cost of around 100,000.

Civil engineering students from the university will work in the lab as part of their project work.

Principal Professor Dame Joan Stringer said: "This new lab will allow us to enhance and develop our research capabilities in an area that has been high up on the agenda for many years now."