Bustling train stations, rush hour congestion and questionable public transport systems can all make for a stressful commuting experience in the UK.
In fact, according to TomTom’s 2023 traffic index, the time taken to commute 10km in London is on the rise, currently averaging at 37 minutes. Shockingly, this makes it the slowest of 387 city centres to drive through last year. But don’t rush to public transport, because this is also getting less reliable.
According to the Office of Rail and Road’s passenger rail performance report, only 62.2% of trains were on time in Great Britain during the last quarter of 2023, with 4.9% of services being cancelled altogether. Both of these figures paint a poorer picture of rail travel in the UK than data from the same quarter in 2022.
Given these bleak statistics, it’s no surprise that people opt to cycle to work. Cities like Cambridge, York and Kingston upon Hull are the keenest, with 2.77%-7.63% of commuters travelling by bike. But regardless of your home city, switching your car, bus or train for an electric bike could take the hassle out of your daily commute.
Why Switch to Electric Bike Commuting in 2024?
Excellent Cost-Effectiveness
Things like rising fuel costs, expensive public transport and hefty parking fees mean that getting to and from work can really start eating into your wages. This is likely true regardless of whether you use your own car or opt to catch trains, trams or buses. Using an electric bike can be a great money saving exercise for your commute, and even replacing your usual transport with an e-bike once or twice each week could help you save a few extra pounds. What’s more, if you choose to completely replace your car, you can also wave goodbye to car maintenance and repairs, insurance and road tax bills.
Convenience and Time Saving
Investing in an electric bike can make commuting a breeze, perhaps even granting you some precious extra snooze time each morning. E-bikes take unreliable public transport out of the equation and lessen the impact of heavy rush hour traffic. All you need to do is keep your electric bike charged, find your best cycle route and go – no waiting around required! Electric bikes have all the convenient advantages of pushbikes and more; with e-bikes being faster than traditional bikes, you can shave extra time off your commute.
Supports the Environment
E-bikes don’t use carbon dioxide-emitting fossil fuels like petrol or diesel. Therefore, using an electric bike to commute can help you significantly reduce your carbon footprint. In fact, a 2020 study found that a single e-bike could provide an average CO2 reduction of 225kg per year. So, whether you replace your normal method of transport once a week or completely switch to commuting by electric bike, you can feel good knowing you’re supporting the natural world.
Improves Health and Fitness
It’s a common myth that e-bikes are not a good form of physical activity, since pedalling is assisted by a motor. On the contrary, research has found that using an electric bike can effectively reduce both blood pressure and heart rate. And when it comes to commuting, using an e-bike is certainly more active than sitting on public transport or driving your car to work. In fact, one review found that electric biking could be classified as a moderate form of physical activity superior to walking.
To learn more about the benefits of using an e-bike to commute and find a bike that perfectly matches your needs, get in touch today.
