Commuter Challenge

However, James's efforts won't be simply along the lines of 'bus, bike and car' - oh no... James is trying some more unusual methods of getting from A to B.

His list includes: cycling, walking, electric car, heelies (trainers with wheels), segway (a kind of electric scooter) and powerisers (stilts with springs)!

You can follow James's progress each weekday on BBC Radio Derby - listen to Andy Whittaker's Breakfast Show for regular updates (use the link on the right) and see more on BBC East Midlands Today each evening from 6.30 pm.

Day 1 – Cycling to work

Journey Time: 13 mins 50 secs | cost: Free! (I have spent about £30 maintaining my bike in the last eight years since buying it for £200)

Woke up to a cold, damp and dark morning! Not filled with enthusiasm for the journey ahead, however, it was light before I left, which saved wearing a reflective vest!

As I started off, the cold was very apparent, but I forgot about this after a few minutes. My eyes did water because of the cold, (I wasn’t crying, honest!), but fortunately these tears didn't freeze on my face! There was a lot of standing water on the route, a few drips of which found its way onto my trousers, although I was able to ride around the worst of the puddles.

At the top of the hill (Darley Abbey Drive) I used a cycle route to cut through to Duffield Road, where I turned left and started to go faster than the daily traffic jam. Getting across the traffic to turn right onto Slack Lane was a little awkward, but once I had got over the A38 bridge, the hard work was done. I took another short cut, into Allestree, and completed my route on quiet, gently downhill residential back streets (in fact there was no traffic whatsoever on the last third of the journey). I entered the University Campus via Carsington Crescent, saving me a lot of time over using the main vehicle entrance.

I then came to park my bike outside my office door, secure in the knowledge that it is covered by CCTV, as are all cycle parking bays at the University. The cool weather meant I did not need a shower today, but in the summer, there are a couple of showers and changing rooms that cyclists can use on the site.

So all in all, a great way to get to work within the city, no traffic jams, keeps me fit without taking time out of going to the gym, and using mostly cycle paths and back roads, I felt perfectly safe throughout!

I arrived at my desk feeling alert, fresh and ready for work! (although it might not have been that way if it was raining!).

Coming later: James Brown video