A York taxi driver is seeking backing for a new invention which he believes will mean a breakthrough in lorry braking safety.

BIG DESIGNS: Taxi Driver turned inventor Martin Carr holds the designs he believes will stop lorries jack-knifing

Picture: Frank Dwyer

Martin Scarr, from Eastholme Drive, Rawcliffe, is looking to form a partnership with a major company to help him patent a device to prevent jack-knifing by heavy vehicles.

He did not wish to give full details of his device in order to protect it prior to be patented.

But he said: "It's an integrated braking system that would work in collaboration with the existing electronic braking system fitted to articulated vehicles.

"It helps the vehicle to remain steady under extreme braking conditions."

Mr Scarr added it was a "smart" device involving a microprocessor which responded to the aspect of the lorry at the time the brakes had to be applied.

He has contacted a number of companies about his idea, which he said would need major financial backing for the costs, including those of research and development.

Mr Scarr said he wanted to take a partnership approach because he did not wish to relinquish an idea he had been working on for two years.

Although he has not yet been managed to forge such a partnership he said he had been pointed in some positive directions, including the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which had suggested seeking funding from the Department of Trade and Industry.

He was inspired to start work on the project after a motorcyclist died in a 1998 accident when an articulated lorry jack-knifed into a bungalow on the A64 near York.

"It started me thinking, how do these vehicles actually behave?" he said.

He put his experience of talking to HGV drivers while he was working at a filling station and a Physics A-Level to use in coming up with his braking system concept.

Anyone who may be able to help can contact Mr Scarr on 0585 074465.

andrew.hitchon@ycp.co.uk

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