How to swap short car journeys for cycling
Millions of people say they would like to swap some car journeys for cycling. At the same time, around 60% of car journeys in the UK are shorter than 8km, with hundreds of millions every year less than 1.6km. In Greater Manchester alone, around 250 million car journeys are less than 1.6km each year.
These distances are easily cyclable by most people. So why aren’t more of us getting out of our cars and into the saddle? A lot of it comes down to a lack of decent cycle paths and having to share the road with drivers – something beyond the scope of this article.
However, another good reason is simply not knowing where to start. Here, we’ll give all the advice you need to finally make the switch.
Why you should swap
If you’re one of those millions of people who want to change short car journeys for bike, what you’re essentially trying to do is replace one ingrained habit for a new one. This is hard. When you’re used to just jumping in the car it’s not easy to change. But it’s certainly not impossible.
Looking at your reasons for wanting to swap will provide motivation. And the good news is that there are loads. First, you’ll save money. Cars are expensive. It’s not just the initial outlay of the cost of the car itself. There are also the running costs: petrol, insurance, servicing, MOT and repairs, vehicle excise duty and more.
Cycles – even non-standard ones and e-bikes – are much cheaper than a car and don’t have anything like the same running costs. There are associated costs, of course, such as maintenance and insurance, but these are much lower than with a car.
Cycling is the least carbon-intensive mode of transport, so it’s much better for the environment. Surface traffic – that is, driving – is the UK’s biggest contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Short distances are the worst for the pollution, too, so by cycling those journeys you’re doing what’s best for the environment.
You’ll be cutting noise and air pollution, making our towns and cities nicer places for everyone. By taking a car off the road you’ll also be lowering congestion, improving driving for those who can’t make the swap, including emergency services and public transport.
It’s also great for your health and wellbeing. Cycling helps lower stress levels, gets you fit and can even improve your immune system.
One tip for making new habits is to make the new habit as easy as possible to do – so that it’s almost harder to go back to the old behaviour than it is to do the new action. In this case, things like putting your bike somewhere it’s easily accessible, packing your panniers the night before and laying out the clothes you cycle in will all help.
If you currently put your car keys in your bag or next to the front door so they’re easy to pick up as you go out, try leaving them in the bedroom so you have to go upstairs to get them. You could even try parking a few streets away, forcing yourself to walk a bit further. That way on the days you do give in, at least you’ll get some extra steps in!
Analyse your car journeys
Now you’ve got your reasons for swapping to cycling, it’s time to plan exactly how to do it. First, look at your car journeys on a weekly basis. Keep a diary of all your driving trips. Include such things as distance, reason for the journey, any equipment you took with you and anything else you think is relevant.
Do this over the course of a month or two so that you get a true reflection of all the trips you drive. You may well be surprised by how much you use car. This alone could provide a bit of extra motivation to get the bike out!
Use your diary to identify the journeys that you feel you could cycle. Some obvious ones might include cycling to work or university, getting the kids to school, shopping or to some social events like going to the pub or a local coffee shop.
Set your goals
Setting achievable goals is essential to bedding in a new habit. Think about the maximum distance you want to cycle – and keep in mind that you will have to cycle home too. This will be different for everyone and depend on your own fitness levels. But as you get fitter, you’ll find that you can ride further and faster so as time goes on you’ll be able to cycle more journeys.
Also think about the number of journeys you want to swap. This might start out at just one per week. It’s better to start small and adjust as you go rather than start with a goal that’s too ambitious, so you get put off.
You can gradually increase both distance and number of journeys as you improve your fitness and get more used to cycling.
Identify your routes
Reduce any anxiety around cycling by planning your routes in advance. You can use Cycling UK’s journey planner or even Google Maps. If you’ve never cycled to work before, setting out without a route in mind could easily result in getting lost, panicking and arriving at work late, which will put you off trying again.
You might have to leave more time, especially at the beginning. As you get faster and more assured you’ll find you’re arriving in a much more timely fashion. The best route for cycling often isn’t the most direct route and won’t be the same as for driving. You’ll have access to parks, tow paths and off-road routes that you can’t use in car.
Utilise public transport
A great way to increase the distance you can cover is to combine cycling with public transport. Taking bikes on buses can be tricky in England and Wales. Some authorities will allow folded bikes if they’re in a bag; others won’t. Scotland is better for this, allowing bikes on some buses.
Trains and London’s Underground are easier. You can take standard bikes on most trains and some Tube lines outside of peak hours. Folded bikes can be taken on trains and the whole Tube network at any time of day.
Think bike
The best bike for the job is the one you’ve already got. However, if you’re in the market for a new bike then have a good think about what you’ll be using it for. An e-bike means you can ride for longer distances and takes the struggle out hills. If you’re riding to work or for a night out, you won’t need to put as much effort in so you’ll arrive feeling a lot fresher.
If the amount of gear you have to carry is putting you off otherwise cyclable journeys, there will be a cycle out there that can help. If you need to transport kids, musical instruments, shopping or something equally bulky, an e-cargo bike might be necessary. We even know of a stone mason who uses an e-cargo bike to transport his tools for work.
If you haven’t got much space for cycle storage at home or nowhere to safely leave your bike at work, then a folding bike is a good investment.
Buying a new bike can be expensive, so check out the Cycle to Work scheme for a more affordable option. You can also look into local cycle share programmes such as Lime Bikes.
Consider clothing
You don’t have to dress head to toe in Lycra, especially for the sort of trips we’re talking about here – unless you want to, of course. But you might want to invest in some specialist clothing.
Bad weather is one of the main reasons people avoid cycling and probably likely to get you running for the car keys. But if you’re properly prepared then there’s no reason a bit of rain should put you off.
A good waterproof jacket or rain cape will keep you dry. The latter allows for good ventilation so you’re less likely to get sweaty – another issue that puts people off cycling. If this is something that worries you then look for clothes made from fabrics with moisture-wicking properties. They don’t have to be cycling specific – hiking gear will also do the job.
How to transport what you need
If you’re cycling to work, will you need to take a change of clothes and a laptop with you? If you’re going shopping, you’ll have to carry the goods back with you. What about the school run? Are the kids old enough to cycle themselves or will you be carrying them along with their school bags?
Whatever you need to carry, there will be a solution. You can use panniers, bar bags, frame bags, saddle bags, a trailer, a rucksack or any combination of these. Think about your particular needs and preferences and plan accordingly.
You might need different options for different journeys. For a trip to the pub, for example, a top tube bag that fits just your wallet, phone and keys might be sufficient. But getting that cello to band practice is going to require a trailer or cargo box. And maybe e-assist!
Facilities at your destination
Generally, you can rest assured that a shopping centre will have a car park. The same isn’t necessarily true for cycle parking. Scope out where you’ll be able to safely leave your bike before you cycle to your destination. This is especially important if you’ve got a non-standard cycle which won’t fit in the usual cycle spaces.
There’s a car park in Cambridge city centre with a separate, covered cycle park with 260 spaces. So it can be done.
The same is true for cycling to work – will there be somewhere to lock up your bike, to shower and change if that’s what you want to do, to store your washing kit and cycling gear? If not, you might want to talk to your employer about all the benefits to both employer and employees of cycling to work. And then introduce them to Cycling UK’s Cycle Friendly Employer scheme.
Learn basic maintenance
No one cites a puncture as a reason not to drive, but how many of us would be able to change a wheel if it did happen? It’s much easier to fix a puncture on a bike.
Changing an innertube is relatively simple and can be done quickly by the side of the road. Learning how will allay any fears of getting stuck on your way to work. Learning how to patch a puncture is a good idea too. Make sure you carry the essential tools with you.
Learning some other maintenance skills such as replacing the chain and looking after the brakes and gears will also save you a bit money.
Get others involved
Cycling with other people is a great way to increase your motivation and provide a bit of accountability. There are several ways to do this, depending on the type of journey you’re looking to make.
If it’s a shopping trip, you can arrange to go with another member of your household or a neighbour. That way you can buy more too.
For the school run, try getting other parents involved and set up a bike bus. This is where several parents and kids cycle the same route to school together. It makes the journey a lot more fun, as well as providing an extra level of support for the youngsters.
If your workplace has a cycling culture, you might find a colleague or two who’ll ride with you. If not, you can set something up. Send out a message on your company’s internal communications network to see if there’s any interest in setting up a cycle user group – a group within the organisation that supports employees to cycle to work and beyond.
If you can’t persuade anyone to ride with you – or prefer to cycle alone – you can at least tell people about your plan to cycle more and ask them to encourage and support you. Knowing that your best mate is going to ask “How’s it going?” next time you see them could be all you need to get on the bike even when it’s raining.
Swapping those short car journeys for cycling doesn’t have to be hard – with this advice you’ve got all you need to get started. And one final tip is don’t be too hard on yourself! You don’t have to be perfect.
If it’s raining and you’re running late it’s fine to take the car. There’s no reason to give up entirely – just get the bike out next time. It’s all about progress – not perfection.
