Driving
People do not have to give up their cars altogether to be TravelWise. However, you should think about how and when you use your car and be aware of the problems of road traffic growth. Car sharing with friends, relatives and colleagues is one way of cutting down on car use, but see below for other ideas.
Short Journeys
When making short journeys, take a moment to consider whether it is worth taking your car. Adults are encouraged to do 30 minutes moderate exercise each day to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Therefore it may be beneficial to your wallet and your waistline to walk or cycle to your local shops.Route Planner
Motorists waste 350,000 tonnes of fuel per year getting lost! Visit the Transport direct website http://www.transportdirect.info for free online route planning.Sensible Driving Techniques
Simple sensible driving techniques can help save fuel, cut down on emissions and save money. Please the Drivers Guide.Buying a Cleaner Vehicle
If you do need a car for your journey and car sharing is not an option then perhaps a cleaner fuelled or smaller engined vehicle will help you to travel in a more environmentally friendly way. The vehicle license system is also geared towards favouring cleaner vehicles. Cheaper tax is available for vehicles with lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Visit http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/ for more info.Cut Your Car Use
Although cars are useful, and sometimes essential, owning a car is incredibly expensive. Many people do not realise just how much of a dent in their finances a car can make and some people are finding that not owning a car is a better option.
If you drive a small second-hand car 5000 miles a year, it will cost around £2500, ie £7 per day or 50p a mile. A bicycle, including purchase, depreciation, insurance, servicing, spares and weatherproof clothing will cost under £200 a year. Use our Car Cost Calculator to check your annual outgoings on motoring (to be added).
Ways to cut your car use include:
- Car share with friends, relatives and colleagues.
- Instead of owning a car, hire a car when you need to use one e.g. for holidays.
- If you need to travel by car during the course of your work, ask your company to provide pool cars so that you can travel to work by public transport etc.
- Park your car at a Park & Ride site and travel the rest of the way by train or metro. This is also good for car security too as all Park & Ride car parks in the Centro area include security measures like fences and CCTV.
- If possible, occasionally work from home.