Almost two months on from the start of the war in Iran, 28% of UK drivers are cycling or walking more, swapping car journeys for more affordable alternatives.
This is according to new YouGov research, commissioned by the national cycling charity Cycling UK, which surveyed more than 2,000 adults across the UK. The data follows the charity’s call for a package of urgent measures that would make it easier for people to cycle and walk more for shorter journeys, reducing pressure on fuel, roads, and public services during crises.
While 28% are choosing to drive less and cycle or walk more, a further 15% are also actively considering taking this action, showing that people are prepared to consider alternatives to driving. Driving less and walking or cycling more outpaced all other responses including using public transport instead of driving (23%), car‑sharing (9%), going out less (27%), or cutting back elsewhere to afford petrol (19%).
People who drive are also relying more on public transport to save on fuel with 23% of respondents stating they are using buses and trains to replace car journeys and a further 13% are also considering doing this.
More than a quarter of UK drivers (27%) are also choosing to reduce the number of times they go out to save on fuel costs, according to the research. Should prices remain high, this number is likely to rise significantly, with 19% saying they are currently considering cutting back on going out. Cycling UK said the results present the social impacts of the Iran conflict, with increased isolation and social exclusion a real risk if the UK and devolved governments do not take action to give people more transport options.
Sarah Mitchell, chief executive of Cycling UK, said: “People need to travel and they need to be able to do this affordably. That includes alternatives to driving, particularly for those who simply won’t be able to keep up with rising costs. It protects people who would otherwise be exposed to rising fuel costs when a crisis like this hits, and allows people to continue making their everyday journeys.
“With so many people turning to cycling and walking instead of driving, we urgently need a package of measures to make cycling feel like a safe and viable option for local journeys. As well as saving money when prices are rising, more people cycling and walking means fewer people using limited fuel reserves, which is good news for everyone.”
Cycling UK is calling for a package of measures from the UK and devolved governments that provide people with the option to cycle and walk more, which could include financial support to give more people access to bikes and e-bikes, measures to make local roads safer and tax incentives.
A closer look at the data also revealed consistent gender differences in how rising fuel costs are affecting people’s everyday life. Women who drive were more likely than men to report cutting back on going out, with 29% of women saying they have reduced the number of times they go out, compared with 25% of men.
More women than men had been prevented from visiting family or friends (15% vs 13%), travelling to take part in a leisure activity (15% vs 10%), or travelling to the countryside or other green spaces (13% vs 10%), which point to a greater impact of rising transport costs on women’s mobility and access to everyday opportunities. But while women are being impacted more and need more transport options, men were almost twice as likely to say they had bought a bicycle in response to higher fuel prices (13% of men compared with 7% of women), highlighting longstanding barriers to cycling uptake among women.
