Why you should ditch the car and take public transport

While many see public transport as a less favorable option, there are actually many benefits to choosing it instead of getting in the car. If you regularly use a private vehicle to commute to and from work, pop to the shops or do the school run, you may find that jumping on public transport is actually a much more eco-friendly, cost-effective and healthy option. Here, we explore why.

You will reduce pollution

Greenhouse gases are hugely detrimental to the health of our planet. In America, cars and lorries “account for nearly one-fifth of all US emissions, emitting around 24 pounds of carbon dioxide and other global-warming gases for every gallon of gas”. This is a frightening amount of pollution – and this is just the US. By using public transport instead of your private car, you can help to cut back on harmful emissions.

You can help to minimize congestion

Many cities across the county suffer with high levels of congestion. The endless traffic jams and long journey times are primarily caused by single person journeys in private vehicles. To put it into perspective, the average train carriage has capacity for 90 people. If all those passengers had decided to take the train instead of their car, that’s 90 less cars on the road just from one train carriage. And the railway network connects most destinations across the country, so you can get from A to B quicker than you would in the car. For example, if you’re travelling from Brighton to Hastings, the train will take roughly an hour compared to 1.5 hours in the car.

You can use the time productively

While driving, you need to concentrate on the road ahead. Whereas on public transport, you can take a seat and use the time wisely. For instance, you could catch up on a podcast, read a newspaper, complete life admin, make a phone call or anything else you may need to do. Just think, if your commute is half an hour each way, this is an hour extra every day you can spend productively.

You can often save money

While some public transport methods may seem expensive at the outset, particularly in London, they are actually much more cost-effective long term than running a private car. Firstly, consider the initial cost of purchasing a vehicle in the first place. Depending on the age, model and make, a car will typically set you back thousands of pounds. Add on the essential insurance, maintenance, parking fees and fuel and the costs quickly rack up.

You may improve your health

If you park your car on the drive or the street in front of your home and then as close as possible to your final destination, then it’s unlikely you do much walking in between. Taking public transport may increase your activity levels as you’ll most likely have to walk between the bus or train station which will get your heart rate up. This moderate level of exercise may also help to reduce stress and boost mood. It’s a win, win!