FUEL shortages at the petrol pumps have helped to highlight how dependent we are on fossil fuels and our cars to get about.

Rapidly rising energy and consumer costs, increased taxes and, for some, the £20 cut in Universal Credit are starting to significantly squeeze household budgets.

So, here’s a way to save a sizeable chunk of money on your travel costs.

One of the biggest annual costs for most households is car ownership.

In Worcester the latest Department for Transport statistics reveal there were 55,893 cars registered to addresses in the city.

That’s an average of one car for every 1.4 adults. It means that most households in Worcester have at least two cars.

On average the annual cost of owning, maintaining and running a car has been estimated at £3,000 -£4,000 a year.

Cars are indeed convenient and for some journeys almost a necessity, but mostly they’re used only five per cent of the time and even then only at a quarter of their seating capacity.

 

Push Bike logo

Push Bike logo

 

Official Government statistics consistently demonstrate that two thirds of all car journeys in the UK are under five miles – a distance well suited to cycling. It’s also a distance that an averagely fit person can cycle in less than half an hour. In Worcester almost every journey you’d need to take is less than five miles. Indeed in most cases cycling in our congested City is actually quicker door to door than driving. There’s also no expensive parking costs when you arrive at your destination.

So, if your budget is tight, you want or need to save more to pay off your mortgage or credit card or simply to have more to spend on other priorities it really is worth considering whether to sell a car and use a bike instead. Even if you have to occasionally hire a car or taxi for longer journeys when you can’t car share you could still be saving a couple of thousand pounds a year.

By using the most environmentally friendly form of transport you’d also be doing your bit to reduce you carbon footprint as well as air pollution and traffic congestion in the City. You’d also be far fitter and healthier. So, no need for an expensive gym membership either!

Perhaps time to Bike Back Better?