{"id":42341,"date":"2022-10-03T18:00:19","date_gmt":"2022-10-03T16:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=694003"},"modified":"2022-10-03T18:15:15","modified_gmt":"2022-10-03T16:15:15","slug":"why-people-and-businesses-are-swapping-cars-for-bikes","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/why-people-and-businesses-are-swapping-cars-for-bikes\/","title":{"rendered":"Why people and businesses are swapping cars for bikes"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Rob Kemp\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 03 October 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

The rising cost of fuel, the implementation of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN) and the desire for a cheaper and greener alternative to running a car<\/a> are just some of the reasons why the UK is in the midst of what you might call a transport revolution.<\/p>\n

Despite supply issues<\/a>, the pandemic boosted sales of all types of bikes, and the fuel crisis has only served to keep sales on an upward trajectory.<\/p>\n

Deloitte projects that between 2020 and 2023, 130 million electric bikes<\/a> will be sold worldwide \u2013 making them the world\u2019s best-selling electric vehicle.<\/p>\n

Bike retailers estimate that around 30 per cent of new customers cite rising fuel prices as a factor in their decision to purchase an ebike.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur bikes are designed for everyday commuters, and many of them are also replacing car trips,\u201d explains Ardo Kaurit, co-founder and CEO of ebike company Ampler Bikes.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome do report selling their car after getting an ebike. The cost of driving is one factor, but more and more people also take the environmental aspect into consideration.\u201d<\/p>\n

For many commuters and small-business owners, the thought of ditching the car or van and choosing pedal power might feel like a big leap, but the testimonies of those who\u2019ve done it and thrived may help persuade them.<\/p>\n

The cash converter<\/h2>\n

Darren Snooks, 36, from Harrow switched from driving to work in Hayes, Middlesex, and back \u2013 an 11-mile round trip \u2013 to riding his daily commute.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Darren used to drive to work but now cycles.<\/span><\/figcaption> maogg\/getty and Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cI drove every day for years, then switched to riding a moped on and off, but finally I swapped completely to cycling on a cyclocross bike<\/a>,\u201d says Darren.<\/p>\n

With fuel prices reaching \u00a32 per litre earlier this year \u2013 putting the average cost of filling a medium tank at a staggering \u00a3100 \u2013 Darren couldn\u2019t have timed his transition better.<\/p>\n

By switching to a bike for all his local errands and journeys, as well as cycling to work<\/a>, Darren estimates he\u2019s saving around \u00a3150 a month on fuel and running costs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m also cycling with my kids at weekends to their football matches \u2013 encouraging them to ride and getting some miles under the belt myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, it\u2019s not without its challenges and Darren is keen to point out that potential car-to-bike swappers should do their homework and make sure they\u2019re kitted out for bad weather<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI rode into work all through winter too. My workmates thought I was crackers, but if you buy the right wet-weather clothing, get decent bike lights<\/a> and plan your route properly it\u2019s really no great hardship.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with his fuel-cost savings of around \u00a31,800 per year, Darren is keen to flag up the fitness benefits<\/a> that come with replacing the car with a bike for commuting<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go to the gym every morning then ride into work and I feel great. I love whizzing through the school-run traffic jams and getting to work in a good frame of mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Darren\u2019s 11-mile round trip each day is only half the average commuting distance in the UK (23 miles is the average round trip, while 14 per cent of commuters travel over 42 miles a day).<\/p>\n

But as the cycle-to-commute movement gains momentum, cycling promotors are offering drivers a means of ditching the car for longer journeys, too.<\/p>\n

In Coventry, for example, drivers of older cars are being urged to consider swapping them for a brand new bicycle or ebike under a pioneering new scheme.<\/p>\n

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As well as saving money by not buying petrol, you can transform your fitness levels by cycle commuting.<\/span><\/figcaption> Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Commuters with high-polluting petrol or diesel cars can get \u00a33,000 worth of \u2018mobility credits\u2019 that could be spent on more environmentally friendly travel including public transport, taxis, car hire or bike hire.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll scrap your old polluting car, you can get a quality bike you can keep, and still have some credits left over for other journeys by public transport or car club when you need to,\u201d explains Adam Tranter<\/a>, the former Coventry Bicycle Mayor and now cycling and walking commissioner for the West Midlands Combined Authority.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis scheme has helped us to better understand what works well and what maybe does not when it comes to encouraging people to use more sustainable transport.\u201d<\/p>\n

The cargo community pioneer<\/h2>\n

Alix Stredwick created CarryMe Bikes, a social enterprise designed to help families and businesses use e-cargo bikes in their everyday lives.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Alix Stredwick\u2019s social enterprise, CarryMe Bikes, helps everyone from families to businesses swap four wheels for two (or three).<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

\u201cI used to work in transport planning for my local council and noticed this gap in policy whereby lots of people were getting into cycling, but when they started having children, they stopped because of all the equipment that comes with kids, plus the safety concerns when you\u2019ve got more than one child.\u201d<\/p>\n

After seeing cargo bikes<\/a> and bikes with trailers in use during a visit to Cambridge, Alix returned to east London with the seed of an idea.<\/p>\n

\u201cI applied for some TfL funding for a demo project offering cargo bikes for sale or hire. That took off. It mushroomed into a community project thanks to more funding.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the help of several local mums, keen to find a better way of getting through the school run, Alix developed a community cargo bikes library.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, we\u2019ve developed that further so that we have the business side, CarryMe<\/a>, which is leasing and selling cargo bikes and trikes, and offering repairs and maintenance.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then we still have the community events side of things where we run projects targeted around specific aspects, such as helping low-income families with their needs or helping families to find the right bicycle kit for transporting their children.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Alix\u2019s cargo bike earns its keep with day-to-day chores.<\/span><\/figcaption> Avlana\/Getty<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

During the pandemic, a lot more people turned to cycling as a form of exercise but also to get from A to B, rather than taking public transport.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, we changed our usual hire terms, which were around three days, to one to two weeks, on our customers\u2019 suggestion that they would prefer to keep their bikes for longer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also implemented a free bike-delivery service to the customer\u2019s home so they didn\u2019t need to collect it at the shop.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alix says her cargo bike earns its keep with the day-to-day chores.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor trips to the shops, the garden centre, anything that requires some heavy lifting, they\u2019re perfect. Storage and parking are the barriers to greater e-cargo bike usage, though,\u201d says Alix.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout more safe lock-up facilities on roads and housing estates, we\u2019re preventing thousands more people from converting to cargo bikes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The progressive plumber<\/h2>\n

London-based boiler fitter and plumber Shane Topley was inspired to test out an e-cargo bike during the first lockdown. Now it\u2019s replaced the van as his main business vehicle.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Shane Topley is proving that even tradespeople can make ebikes work efficiently for them.<\/span><\/figcaption> kevinjeon00\/Getty and Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cI expected to do something between 50 and 60 per cent of my business by bicycle,\u201d says Shane. \u201cBut it\u2019s closer to 95 to 98 per cent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shane first considered swapping the van for a cargo bike as traffic disappeared from the roads during the first Covid-19 lockdown.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was sitting on my balcony and I could smell the trees because there was so little traffic polluting the roads. That\u2019s when I thought it was time for me to think of another way. It led me into using cargo bikes as an experiment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aside from a few adjustments to his work pattern, Shane found that switching from a van to a Tern cargo bike took relatively little effort, but has brought a wealth of rewards.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to plan my day a little bit more carefully, which isn\u2019t such a bad thing, but I can\u2019t just have everything to hand. On days when I\u2019m doing boiler servicing, I\u2019ll try to do four or five services.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means a little bit more running back and forth for equipment, but it brings me home for lunch!\u201d<\/p>\n

Since getting his first ebike, Shane has bought a second and used the van on only two occasions.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth times, I\u2019ve been seriously disappointed because one time it took me 40 minutes to find somewhere to park, and the other time it was wall-to-wall traffic. I feel rather smug as I cruise down past all those nose-to-tail cars.\u201d<\/p>\n

But there are factors to consider before making the switch, he points out.<\/p>\n

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Shane now cruises past traffic on his bike.<\/span><\/figcaption> BlackJack3D\/Getty And Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cStorage is a major issue for many people, especially those using cargo bikes in cities. I re-configured my van at first to store the Tern off the road, overnight. But I also rent a garage from the council where I keep my Urban Arrow. I wouldn\u2019t feel comfortable leaving that on the street at night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting one insured can be a challenge too,\u201d says Shane.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause the garage I use isn\u2019t on my property, the insurance firms are very reluctant to insure it. One did consider it, but the premium was ridiculously expensive.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also have to charge the batteries every day, but I have no fuel costs, no parking charges and when I\u2019m out on a job I can usually get the bike in a secure place on the property. If I can\u2019t, I lock it securely and cover it to deter thieves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shane started with CarryMe Bikes and, after his experience, suggests you start with a \u2018loan deal\u2019 and get good advice.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey [CarryMe Bikes] were fantastic. The founder spoke to me for about an hour before even suggesting what bike I hire from her. I want to keep the air clean. We should all do as much as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sustainability business owner<\/h2>\n

Gareth Kane, 51, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, has switched from a seven-seater diesel Ford S-Max to a Tern GSD cargo bike and hasn\u2019t looked back.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Gareth Kane is hoping the family can get by using an ebike most of the time and a car club when they really need a car.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

\u201cWhen I got the S-Max, our three kids were still of child-booster-seat age. We felt we needed the width across the back seats as we had a grandparent or extra kid to transport at times too. It was also very useful if you needed to take something to the dump.\u201d<\/p>\n

But as his children have got older, Gareth has re-examined his car usage and found life has taken a new turn thanks to the investment in the Tern<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt got to a point where I was only driving a couple of times a week on average, taking the youngest child to football training. Shifting two tonnes of car to move two people a couple of miles just seemed wrong and I hated squeezing my big car in and out of car parks not designed for the MPV\/SUVs that dominate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having set up a sustainability business helping others to find a way of reducing their carbon footprint, this was the perfect way to practise what he was preaching.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs someone who spends their entire life encouraging others to go green, I realised I had to make more of an effort.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unlike some e-cargo bikes, the Tern is the same length as a regular bike, but can fit two people or a huge load.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pedal-assist electric motor means that it will take these loads up hills no sweat \u2013 literally. Even after what would be a tough 45-mile ride on a normal bike, I was perspiration-free on this after a 14 per cent slope. It\u2019s like you always have a tailwind.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Gareth says his Tern cargo bike gives him freedom.<\/span><\/figcaption> jirkaejc\/Getty and Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

A recent survey by car research and consumer shopping website, Car Gurus found that 23 per cent of drivers wouldn\u2019t have bought their current car in hindsight.<\/p>\n

They would have chosen something cheaper to run instead, while almost a third say they\u2019d have purchased an electric vehicle (EV) or no car at all.<\/p>\n

Gareth estimates that for 10 to 15 per cent of the cost of an EV \u2013 which was his other consideration \u2013 and a much shorter waiting list, he\u2019s managing to cover the vast majority of his transport needs with the cargo bike. So, will he get rid of the S-Max?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe end date is now under serious discussion. We\u2019re planning to join a car club for family outings, which will tick off much of the remainder needed,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

He points out that the low level of mileage for which he now uses a vehicle wouldn\u2019t justify switching to an EV on economic grounds (or carbon ones) either.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, the waiting list for EVs is four times as long as the three-month wait I had for the cargo bike.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gareth is convinced that many more people will make the switch from cars to cargo bikes, but insists it requires a push from policymakers, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will take time for the supporting environment to catch up \u2013 and some cycle infrastructure isn\u2019t cargo-bike friendly.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut as I potter about on my Tabasco Red mean machine, I\u2019ll be making a statement about the future \u2013 and enjoying the freedom the GSD gives me.\u201d<\/p><\/body><\/html>\n

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