Peter Le Masurier – Cycle Alert Co-Founder
Prior to Cycle Alert, Peter Le Masurier earned a living as a Matrimonial Lawyer. The traditional career path, however, was never one that most appealed to Peter and his insatiable appetite for entrepreneurialism eventually led him to create Cycle Alert. Having enjoyed success in a number of ventures ranging from spearheading an online travel company to overseeing businesses in children’s entertainment, property and environmental initiatives, it was his interest in cycling and technology that paved the way for Cycle Alert.
Cycle Alert’s inception occurred after the co-founders heard of a story of a cyclist death following a collision with a HGV on a roundabout. Compelled to combat the issues of road safety and awareness, Peter set about laying the foundations of what would become Cycle Alert. Peter felt his knowledge of technology as well as an understanding of the challenges HGV drivers face when sharing the road with cyclists gave him the perfect credentials to create a cycle detection system.
Armed with a product that has the ability to drastically reduce the number of cycle and lorry related fatalities and serious injuries on the road, Peter Le Masurier’s vision for Cycle Alert is to combat the risks of using UK roads and to educate all road users on how to practice safe transit.
ASH Wireless and Steve Braithwaite - Product Design and Development
ASH Wireless is an electronics design and production company specialising in using low power wireless technology. Formed in 2001 and based in Southampton, ASH works with clients in fields study as aerospace, transport, industrial and consumer electronics. In addition to the expert consulting team at ASH, the company works with long-term product design and manufacturing partners to provide a service from product concept to production.
ASH’s MD, Steve Braithwaite, has been involved over the years in satellite communications, start-ups in rural communications, and university research and teaching. He still teaches some courses at the world-leading Electronics group at the University of Southampton. Steve is a keen cyclist and singer, as well as being part of a recent winning team on BBC’s Eggheads quiz programming. Steve is the tall one, just in case anyone was confused. He is also a keen cyclist!
Our Journey
The Early Days!
It all started in a garage car park off the Old Kent Road for trials around the infamous Elephant and Castle Roundabout.The first cycle sensor was a large blue box strapped to the front of a selection of bikes with cable ties. The vehicle sensors were a similar box (but black) magnetised and gaffer taped to the vehicle. The Cab unit was a huge screen with a large dongle like receiver sticking out of the top. This was all to prove it worked.We cycled around the Elephant and Castle for what seemed like all day, almost got knocked off by a bus, but we proved the concept worked! We then started making the product look pretty and the electronics smaller and cleverer and that is what you see today.