Walk, cycle, use public transport and reduce driving

See below the Walk, cycle, use public transport and reduce driving Sub-Actions. Click or tap the sections further below to reveal a summary of the benefits of walking, cycling, using public transport and reducing driving, future-gazing to help visualise how this would work for you, a thought-provoking video, a step-by-step guide outlining how to achieve this Top Action, expert tips, and useful links and references.

It is recommended that you pick one or two of the Sub-Actions to progress at a time rather than try and complete them all at once. Visit our Approach page for other tips on how to set yourself up to minimise your environmental impact and get to net zero carbon.

Have you completed this Top Action already? You would need to complete:

• all the Halfway (0.5) Sub-Actions to complete half of the Top Action.
• all the Halfway (0.5) and Full (1.0) Sub-Actions to fully complete the Top Action.

Many people make the majority of their travel by cars fuelled by fossil fuels. A typical car’s internal combustion engine converts fossil fuel to motion, but also generates CO₂ and other greenhouse gases as well as air pollutants such as NOx and carbon monoxide and particulate matter (particularly PM2.5) which affect human health. The extraction of fuel also has an environmental impact. As we drive all cars (including electric cars), brake dust is created and tyres constantly shed tiny plastic particles which can accumulate in the environment, significantly contributing to air pollution and the problematic increase in microplastics (see the Use eco-friendly products and services (and reduce waste) EcoTracker Top Action). Furthermore, our driving creates noise pollution which negatively impacts wildlife and also ourselves. By reducing our driving where possible and using alternative forms of transport with lower emissions, we reduce our environmental impact across all of these categories.

Our regular use of cars has become a major contributor to the significant air pollution issues in cities and near to major roads, as confirmed by Sustrans. This causes health risks that are increasingly being recognised. A study by Vohra et al (2021), described in the Guardian, attribute a huge 8.7million global excess deaths in 2018 to air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels, one in five of the people who died that year.

Remember during the Covid-19 pandemic when our travel was restricted? One silver lining was that air pollution and noise pollution were much reduced, allowing us to enjoy a relatively pollution free local environment in which we could hear the sounds of wildlife, which flourished.

By reducing our driving where possible and using alternative forms of transport with lower emissions, we reduce the health impacts on the community, including our self and others, and we reduce our impact on wildlife, allowing it to flourish.

If we walk or cycle rather than taking the car for shorter journeys we can not only avoid the negative impacts described above but we can also improve our health, fitness and wellbeing while also getting to our destination. This can save time overall as less exercise is needed at other times and can even save money on gym fees! In traffic congested areas, a journey by bike is likely to be quicker than by car.

Driving is a relatively expensive mode of transport when factoring in the fuel as well as ongoing costs such as purchasing or renting the car, maintenance, insurance and tax; walking, cycling or using public transport typically saves us a lot of money overall, with little or no upfront cost needed.

Cycling can be a liberating and exhilarating new skill to learn. Walking or cycling also gives us more chance to see the neighbourhood or countryside at a slower pace and really take it in. Go exploring and learn about the local area!

Some public transport services, particularly in cities, are fast and relatively low cost. Unfortunately services are often relatively poor or non-existent in rural areas. By using public transport, we support its development as a low carbon transport option, including for those who can’t use cars; the more people that use public transport, the more the authorities should invest in improving the service.

By walking, cycling or using public transport rather than driving, we also avoid wasting precious time in traffic jams. However, if commuting can be avoided (e.g. by choosing to work from home when possible), we can spend less time in transit and more time doing things we enjoy, and save much money on the commute. Many people have found during the Covid-19 pandemic that video-conferencing can be just as effective for work as being there in person; possibly more effective as the stress of the commute is avoided. For those who work from home it is even more important to progress the Reduce my home energy use, Get renewable electricity, and Get low carbon heating EcoTracker Top Actions,  as more time will be spent and more energy will be used at home.

Those who commute by public transport have the opportunity to focus on meaningful things which are not possible when driving, like reading a book.

If those who have to drive by car choose to car share where possible this will make for a more sociable and cost effective journey and will also avoid the additional emissions of multiple people driving separate cars.

Try and imagine how your life will be and how you will feel when you complete this EcoTracker Top Action. This may feel like a big change or a small change, but really focus on how the benefits of the change could impact and improve your life and the lives of others.

For instance try and imagine how you will feel about:

• your reduced environmental impact which will help avoid the worst effects of climate change, ecological breakdown and air pollution within your lifetime, helping to ensure you and others can live a long and full life.
• improved long term prospects for your children and future generations, who will have a much greater opportunity to avoid climate change, ecological breakdown and air pollution during their lives. They will be much safer than in the alternative future of extreme climate change, ecological breakdown and significant air pollution and many lives will be saved. Will you be able to look your child in the eye in years to come and say that you have done everything you can to protect their future?
• improved opportunities and social justice (climate justice) for those around the world who are currently struggling with the early impacts of climate change and ecological breakdown, with many lives and livelihoods saved.
• having time to focus on the things that truly bring you happiness and joy, such as spending time with your loved ones, rather than a long commute to work.
• improving your health, fitness and wellbeing and reducing your stress.
• saving money.
• being outside in the fresh air more often.
• learning to cycle, giving you a new exhilarating hobby.
• having more sociable and meaningful journeys.
• helping to promote walking, cycling and public transport, encouraging public authorities to invest in infrastructure and improving these options for all including those who have no other choice.
• some of the above may be really life-changing for you or others in your local area who will suffer less air pollution.

An effective way of developing a commitment and ongoing motivation to progressing this EcoTracker Top Action is to work out which of the themes above generate the most powerful emotional responses for you personally. Then try to capture this in some way and store it for when you might need motivation later.

You might be able to create a strong image in your memory, or a link to existing memories. You might want to write down how you feel say on a post-it note or in a diary as a reminder; perhaps somewhere that you will regularly see the message or somewhere you can come back to when you want to. You might even want to share this on your ‘progress thread’ on social media. If you are feeling creative, perhaps even draw an image to represent your future. Also, consider whether you might already have an object which could trigger your motivation e.g. a picture of your children.

These steps are generic because this is your unique personal journey and you will need to explore the details for yourself, using this process and the Expert Tips below as a guide and support.

The time required to complete steps may vary quite a lot depending on your resources or skill level, or whether or not you do the work yourself or pay a professional to do it. It is recommended that you pick one or two of the Sub-Actions to progress at a time rather than try and do them all at once, and so you may go through steps multiple times for the different Sub-Actions before you have completed the Top Action.

1. Build motivation from within to complete this EcoTracker Top Action, assisted by reading the Benefits and Future-gazing to imagine how your life will improve (10 minutes)
2. Make a personal commitment and share this to social media (5 minutes)
3. Book a time in your diary for progressing your EcoTracker actions – you may wish to set up a regular slot for taking actions (5 minutes)
4. Research – read the guidance on this EcoTracker Top Action page such as the Expert Tips and you may wish to visit your community for support (30 minutes +)
5. Discuss with others in your household and agree broadly what you will do (15-30 minutes)
6. Get the resources lined up e.g. find what you need online, locate or borrow/rent/buy the materials and tools (2-3 hours)
7. Make a final decision on exactly what you will do and book in a date (15 minutes)
8. Complete all Sub-Actions to enable you to complete the Full Top Action (5 + hours)
9. Visit our Tracker page, and share your progress to social media (5 minutes). You may want to share your progress as you go through the steps for each Sub-Action.
10. Once you’ve mastered this Top Action, why not also help others in the community complete their’s, with tips and support (1 minute, periodically)

Don’t blame yourself for your past habits, but choose to focus on what you can improve. Similarly, choose not to blame others in your household or elsewhere for their current or past habits, but to point out to them the damaging impacts of driving and the benefits of walking, cycling and public transport. Encourage and support others to make changes (e.g. by using EcoTracker). You may need to focus on and persist with some of these changes for weeks or months before they become new habits that you don’t need to think about. It can be easier to change our habits during a moment of larger change such as when you move home or get a new job; when you are going through such a period, it is a great time to reset and work on building new habits. See the Approach page for further suggestions on developing habits.

If you want to try a new walking, cycling or public transport journey, a try route search using Google Maps or other map or public transport services, which will usually provide a good initial indicator of some options for each mode of transport. Your local authority or other relevant local organisations are also likely to provide information on the walking and cycling routes in your area. Sustrans has further suggestions on route planning apps to try.

Energy Saving Trust suggests walking and cycling may be quicker than you think: you should be able to walk a mile (1.6km) in around 20 minutes or cycle a mile in 5 minutes. Sustrans suggests that the average commute in the UK is five miles (8km), which can be easily cycled in less than 30 minutes.  Public transport may also save you time for some journeys.

By combining your journeys and purposes, e.g. commuting with active travel and / or picking up your shopping on your way back from work, this can save you unnecessary journeys and a lot of time to spend how you want. When walking and cycling considering the weather will make the experience much better; for instance, protect yourselves from the sun and take wet weather clothes unless you’re sure it won’t rain. If you will be out for a few hours remember to take food and drink.

Try alternative walking routes – you may find some much more pleasant than others. The route suggested by Google Maps along the main road may be the fastest, but may also be the least attractive. Go exploring!

For further tips on walking, read articles by Sustrans and try the 20 top tips from Living Streets to get you walking more; some of these are really fun, such as having a walking adventure or taking a romantic promenade!

Consider joining a local walking or ramblers group so that you can get support, meet like-minded people and find some good routes. Organisations such as Walking for Health (England) and Paths for all (Scotland) offer short and easy walks. Walking may be excellent for journeys of up to a few miles (~5km), but for longer distances, you may prefer cycling (see below).

Cycling is not for everyone and is not required in order to complete this Top Action unless you want to, but is well worth considering.

First, you need to get a bike. A wide range of bikes are available from a variety of retailers. A hybrid bike may be a good option if you’re not sure what you prefer, as such options typically offer flexibility for both on and off road use and combine some of the toughness of mountain bikes with the speed of road bikes, whilst offering reasonable comfort and opportunities to carry your possessions. To enable you to go shopping using your bike or transport larger items, consider a bike with pannier bags or a cargo bike approach. If you have small children, there are bike attachments available that allow you to transport your children as well as the shopping. Also, consider getting an electric bike (ebike) which could help you get on your bike with far less effort and help you whiz up those hills (see below).

Make sure you get a bike with the right sized frame for you: get an idea using the general sizing guide from Halfords but bear in mind that new bikes should have their own size guide that should be used. Read further guidance from Sustrans about buying the right bike for you.

In the UK you may be able to get some support towards purchasing your bike through your employer via the Cycle to Work scheme.

Many excellent second hand bikes are available for a good price from retailers, or eBay or Gumtree  or you may be able to find a suitable option for free at Freecycle. Some may need a service to get them in good condition and set up the saddle so the bike fits you well, which you could get done at your local bike shop.  If you want to try to “Do It Yourself”, there are many bike repair videos available online, for instance on Youtube, which can give you excellent advice.

Depending on where you live there may also be various vouchers available to contribute towards the cost of your bike maintenance.

You will need a secure and accessible place to store your bike; this should be as convenient as possible (ideally more conveniently located than your car parking) to encourage you to use your bike. This must also be secure to avoid bike theft, with a robust metal frame locked into concrete or strong masonry and a high quality lock (such as a “D lock”) used to secure the bike. Ideally the storage space should also be covered to keep your bike dry and in good working order. Consider bespoke cycle storage options such as Protect a Cycle for maximum security. If you don’t have outdoor space for bike storage, internal space-saving options are available such as wall or ceiling hangers. To discourage bike theft, if you will be leaving your bike unattended in a public place or outside the front of your home regularly, consider getting a less expensive bike which would be less likely to be stolen and less costly to replace. Cycle parking and cyclist facilities (such as showers, lockers and clothes drying space) at your workplace make cycle commuting easily manageable if you live within a suitable distance. Consider cycle commuting, and if necessary request that your employer provides the necessary parking and facilities to support you in this. It can help to plan ahead, such as by leaving some items at the workplace (e.g. a secure lock, a towel and a washing kit) so that you avoid regularly carrying more than you need to on your cycle commutes.

Get advice on many cycling topics by reading articles by Cycling UK, or Sustrans.

It is also strongly recommended that you use a cycle helmet and also take a repair kit which could help you fix any issues that develop during travel (watch the video on how to fix a puncture at Cycling UK’s essential riding advice for beginners) and a lock if you will leave your bike unattended in public. You may also want to get some other kit such as high-visibility clothing, which is highly recommended for safety during dark or dingy times. Lights are essential if you will be cycling after dark, and options that can be powered by re-chargeable batteries are recommended. Read about cycling kit hacks for beginners, a guide to cycling in the dark, and a guide to cycling in the rain from Sustrans.

If you are trying cycling for the first time get cycle training e.g. in the UK from Bikeability.

Get cycling safety tips from Cycling UK.

If you are a relative beginner or have recently moved to a new area, try going on a ride with a friend who knows an area. Consider joining a local cycling club or group so that you can get support, meet like-minded people and find some good routes. In the UK, find local social cycling groups at Let’s Ride, including Breeze rides for ladies only.

In the UK there is a National Cycle Network which can help you travel through and between many towns and cities and there are various other local routes available, which you can find by contacting your local authority or community group.

Consider bike insurance, which is offered by organisations such as Cycling UK and British Cycling, and would protect you if something goes wrong.

If you have a long or hilly journey to make that is off-putting for cycling, or if you find cycling challenging, consider getting an electric bike (ebike) which could help you get on your bike with far less effort. They use stored electricity to assist you in turning the peddles, making it much easier, particularly for those tricky uphill stretches. Test or hire an electric bike from a local bike shop to see the benefits they provide. Read Energy Saving Trust’s guide to electric bikes, which outlines considerations including:

• electric bikes are likely to be more expensive than standard bikes, ranging from £500 – £3,500, so you may need to save up to get one
• the electric battery range is typically 25 miles – 100 miles (40km -160km).
• electric bikes are very low cost to run, with a single full charge (which typically takes around 4 hours) costing around 5-10p.

Watch the video above from ebiketips for further content on ebikes.

Public transport is particularly good for travelling within and between cities and larger towns, and longer journeys for which walking or cycling are not possible. Public transport within congested cities and long distance trains may often be quicker than taking the car and in some places much cheaper. Check your routes ahead of travel including the live journey updates that you can find on the websites of many travel providers. Take something to entertain you to make the most of your journey, such as a book. Sit back and relax and let others do the work of managing your transport. If you regularly use public transport, consider getting a season ticket or railcard which can help save money overall.

If you do have to drive by car, for instance, to travel within rural areas, choose to car share where possible and to combine your journeys (e.g. by doing the shopping on the way home from work) in order to significantly reduce the total distance that needs to be driven. This may require planning journeys ahead. Ask whether your workplace has a car sharing list. Consider using car sharing services such as Liftshare for journeys. The RAC reports that the average car travels 7,400miles (~11,840 km) per year. If you are driving such a distance alone, you can halve your miles per person in the car by travelling with another person, which would bring you much closer to the EcoTracker target of 1,000 miles (~1,600km) per year per person in the car. However, the biggest opportunities to reduce car use include walking or cycling where journeys are less than 5 miles (8 km) and using public transport where there are effective links for journeys of any length. The Department for Transport Road Use Statistics Great Britain 2016 confirms that 56% of trips taken by car in 2014 were under 5 miles.

Although many of us are used to the convenience of a car for things like large shopping trips, it is perfectly possible to manage when not having a car; for instance you can of course make smaller purchases at the shop and make bulk orders for delivery, or simply use deliveries all round. Do consider that deliveries have their own impact, so try and choose delivery companies with environmental credentials where possible and consider that walking or cycling to get shopping would be preferable; a cargo bike is very useful. If you don’t have a car, you may need to take a taxi more often if you need to get to less accessible places. Although the individual cost of a taxi ride may seem relatively expensive, once you factor in all the savings from not having a costly car, it will seem much more cost effective.

If you commute or travel for business consider whether you could avoid travelling (video conference) or whether you could take a sustainable travel option rather than the car. Unless you have a clear reason to go into your workplace or you cannot work from home, it is suggested that you continue to regularly work from home. If you do have to have to go into the workplace, try cycle commuting (see the above Expert Tips – Cycling and electric bikes section).

If you have children, help them start good habits for life, like walking or cycling to school. You could start by accompanying them before giving them the independence to make the journey themselves when they are ready; this is so much better in many ways than you adding to the school run congestion and wasting your own time.

Where you live can have a big impact on how easy it is to achieve this Top Action. Typically this is easier if you live in cities, or a well-connected town due to the distances involved and better public transport, walking and cycling infrastructure provided, but the level of infrastructure does vary significantly. If you are not happy with the walking, cycling or public transport infrastructure in your area and this is putting you off, consider sending a letter or email to your local politicians. The more people who raise this as an issue, the more attention it will get. It is likely that more investment will be made in future as governments try to decarbonise the transport system, so do keep up to date with the options available in your local area.

When choosing where to live, do consider the walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure available locally, but also how easy it is to get to the places you need to go, including your workplace, shops, entertainment and also the homes of the family and friends who you will meet. An idyllic rural location may tick many boxes, but could see you spending a lot more time in the car if you don’t also think about where else you will need to travel to and minimise the distances.

Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps

Energy Saving Trust: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/active-travel/

Sustrans: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/get-active/?location=null&theme=null

Vohra et al (2021) (air pollution deaths): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935121000487

The Guardian (air pollution deaths): https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/09/fossil-fuels-pollution-deaths-research

Walking:

Walking for Health (England only): https://www.walkingforhealth.org.uk/get-walking/walking-works

Paths for All (Scotland only): https://www.pathsforall.org.uk/walking-for-health

Living Streets: https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/workplaces/try20-tips

Cycling:

Cycling UK: https://www.cyclinguk.org/ and https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/campaigns-guide/cycling-tips-24-essential-pieces-riding-advice-beginners  and https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/video-guide-five-top-tips-safer-journey

Halfords (bicycle sizing): https://www.halfords.com/bikes/expert-advice/getting-the-right-size-bike.html 

Bikeability: https://bikeability.org.uk/

British Cycling (UK only): https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/ 

National Cycle Network (UK only): https://www.sustrans.org.uk/national-cycle-network 

Let’s Ride (UK only): https://www.letsride.co.uk/social and https://www.letsride.co.uk/breeze

Protect a Cycle: https://www.trimetals.co.uk/protect-a-cycle/

Electric bicycles:

Energy Saving Trust: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/electric-bikes-explained/

Public transport:

National Rail (UK only): https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

National Express bus travel (UK only): https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

Car sharing:

Liftshare: https://liftshare.com/uk