Former foreman invents cycle-friendly cat's eye

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It is safer for riders because unlike conventional catseyes that protrude above the road surface, it sits flush with the Tarmac.

The solar-powered device also has a far smaller diameter which means cyclists and motorcyclists are less likely to slip on it.

Motorcyclist Martin Dicks said he came up with the invention after first-hand experience of the dangerous side-effects of traditional road studs.

"I ride a BMW tourer, one of the heaviest and most stable motor cycles on the road. Even that sometimes gets shaken all over the place by over-prominent road markers. It doesn't require much imagination to guess the effects on a lighter motorcycle or a pedal cycle. Using technology to develop a flush-mounted road stud simply made common sense."

The British-designed Astucia solar-powered road-stud has already made improvements to driving safety on key roads, with a tenfold boost in visibility compared with the traditional reflective cats-eye.

The 'SolarLite' stud stores solar energy during the day, allowing built-in Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) to automatically illuminate from dusk to dawn, providing drivers with up to 900 metres of visibility.

That's 10 times more effective than reflective road studs which rely on being illuminated by car headlights.

The new catseye - which is being considered by London authorities - also has benefits for car drivers. It eliminates the annoying thumping noise drivers get when they cross conventional catseyes as they change lanes.

"For cyclists and motorcyclists, particularly in slippery conditions, it removes a major risk of instability," says Mr Dicks.

He claims the new flush-fitting stud is also much more resistant to damage from winter snow ploughing and heavy vehicle damage.