STRATHCLYDE Police is to turn to pedal power in a bid to beat city and town centre traffic-clogged streets. The Scottish officers are to become the first in Britain to use mountain bikes rather than cars for rapid response units.

Their force area covers several major towns and Glasgow city, and emergency response times were suffering as a result of the problems with the traffic. In an attempt to beat the jams they will now be mounted on the 85 mountain bikes. The introduction of the bikes will not effect the 1,065-strong fleet of vehicles the force operates.