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Liverpool's cycling
revolution could save commuters nearly £2000 per year
LEADING cycle retailer and manufacturer
Ribble Cycles, has undertaken independent research into the cost of commuting to
work in Liverpool.
The research found that in Liverpool the petrol and parking expenses for driving
into work is costing commuters an average of £1,719.09 per year, exceeding the
average for England and Wales by £84.67.
Figures obtained by Ribble Cycles from Just Park, Europe's leading provider of
pre-bookable parking, revealed that in Liverpool the average cost of parking at
work is a staggering £1,209.30 each year, which is £170.88 more than the
estimated average for England and Wales.
This is in addition to the average £509.79 per year a commuter can expect to pay
on petrol in Liverpool according to the Department of Energy.
The study revealed that the cost of commuting by car goes beyond affecting our
own pockets; with the average Liverpool commuter responsible for 1195.49 kgCO2e
in carbon dioxide emissions each year by driving into work.
The annual cost of public transport can also be expensive, costing on average
£912 for commuters in Liverpool.
Liverpool is undergoing a cycling revolution, the city's council created a 12
year cycling strategy plan in 2014 aiming to increase the amount of travel by
bike. By 2025 Liverpool City Council hopes that 10% of all trips are made by
bike.
With the popularity of cycling and cycling events in Liverpool growing, it is
fitting that Liverpool City Council is investing time and money into creating
safe, accessible and convenient cycle routes for the public.
Hourbike, the largest bike rental company in the UK outside of London, has
created a Citybike hire scheme in Liverpool. This scheme has over 1,000 bikes
spread across Liverpool's network. The Citybike scheme is supported by Liverpool
City Council and part-funded by the Department for Transport.
Tim Caswell, Managing Director of Hourbike, said:- "Since the Citybike
scheme launched in Liverpool, in May 2014, it has seen on average year on year
growth of over 40% in cycling trips made in the city, with the total journeys
made covering approximately 85,000 miles. With an annual subscription costing
just over £1 per week and a free 30 mins at the beginning of every rental, many
members are achieving significant cost savings by cycling, as well as improving
their health. With cycling becoming more accessible in the city we hope to see
even more people choosing a bike as their mode of transport."
Matthew Lawson, Chief Marketing Officer, at Ribble Cycles said:- "The cost
of commuting to work each day in Liverpool is expensive, and with petrol and
rail fare prices increasing, it is set to get worse. Many commuters feel this is
an unavoidable cost, but it needn't be if they opt to cycle to work instead.
There are many employers in Liverpool that offer great cycle to work schemes,
which let you pay for a bike in small instalments each month, making owning a
bike much more affordable. There are also the two major National Cycle Network
routes in the city which enable commuters to cycle to work via safe and
accessible routes, so it is definitely worth reconsidering your commute."
For more information, see the Ribble Cycles
blog. |
