A PURTON businessman has come up with a novel way of beating the traffic by reintroducing a mode of transport which was last popular when Queen Victoria was on the throne.

The Pederson bicycle was at the cutting edge of design when it first hit the shops in 1895.

And according to Tim Whitty, who runs Cyclecare Purton, it is still the last word in biking comfort.

He builds replicas of the century-old cycle and has been doing a roaring trade selling them to people who have had enough of sitting in jams.

He said: "It's a Victorian design which is still relevant today and is supremely comfortable.

"You can have a modern bicycle with double suspension but it wouldn't be any more comfortable than this and the riding position wouldn't be so good."

The unusual triangular bike design is said to work on the same principle as a suspension bridge so that the more weight you put on it the stronger it gets.

The saddle is suspended like a hammock and the riding position is completely upright, making for a sedate ride.

Mr Whitty buys the frames in kit form from a company in Denmark where inventor Mikael Pederson hales from and then assembles them to order.

He said: "It sells for its comfort aspect and for its classical appearance.

"They tend to go to men and to mainly taller men. Architects seem to like these bikes and other people interested in design."

The Pederson sells for between £550 and £800 and is not the only unusual item on sale at Cyclecare Purton, which opened in November.

The shop is also one of the first stockists of an ingenious cycling helmet called the Reevu.

Developed by an English inventor, it incorporates a periscope device which enables cyclists to see behind them.

Mr Whitty said he has seen interest grow in cycling as drivers become increasingly fed up with congestion.

And he is a convincing evangelist for this free-wheeling pursuit.

He said: "Bikes are a form of freedom that you find in very little else today.

"There's no tax, there's no insurance and you don't need to spend £500 on a bike to enjoy yourself.

"It is one of the last freedoms left to us."