Let’s Talk About Transport
There is a common perception that to ‘go green’ costs more. Admittedly, if you decide to change your lifestyle completely all at once, there will be capital costs. However, there are many aspects where ‘being green’ can save money and help the planet. A Rocha, the Christian environmental society has written an interesting article on the cost of living crisis in their June Newsletter, and here are some practical guides from Martin Lewis (Feb 2021) and The Times (June 2022).
This can be a lot of information to take in at once, so for this month’s blog, I have decided to focus on how we can save money with our transport choices, particularly living in a borough which has already declared a climate emergency has active clean Air and cycling policies and has good public transport.
With petrol prices running at approximately £2 a litre it’s a no brainer that we will save money if we can walk or cycle more. But life isn’t always straightforward, and barriers can prevent this happening. Statistics show that 70% of UK car journeys are less than five miles and 50% less than two miles. But often it isn’t practical not to use the car – or is it? Can we re-appraise our options each time we reach for the car keys? Can we identify the barriers and work out how to overcome them? And… overtime, hopefully we will form new habits.
WALKING - This makes up most journeys of under a mile, but more than that it is less popular. Walking has many benefits for both mental and physical health and it gives us time to bond with children (or practice spelling and times tables!). Time can also be spent in prayer or listening to podcasts. Plan your trip with Google Maps to know how long it might take, pack a waterproof, wear comfy shoes and carry a smarter pair if you need to. Check the bus route that goes nearest your journey so that you can have a back up plan if it rains or you need to catch the bus home.
CYCLING - We have a number of cycle routes in the borough which are clearly marked and avoid traffic. However, you can work out your own route that avoids traffic, particularly if you are cycling with children by using a bike navigation app to choose the fastest or quietest route from A to B. Cycling can save money, as is illustrated here. Richmond Borough has schemes for renting bikes and e scooters and cargo bikes. There is also a monthly hire option through the council where you can buy bikes at a discounted price through the Peddle My Wheels scheme or bikes can be purchased through some employers with the Cycle to Work Scheme. With Bushy and Richmond Parks, and the Thames Cycle Path, we have plenty of opportunities for traffic-free cycling.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT - As part of the Transport for London network we can easily work out routes and timings using public transport with the TFL app.
BUSES - We are blessed with a large number of routes across the borough and Fares vary according to age and circumstance but are kept relatively low. No extra charge is made if you change buses within the hour. Buses can be quicker than the car at times, particularly on congested routes if there is a bus lane.
TRAINS - Again there are a high number of services within the borough, mostly for commuters to central London. From Twickenham you can also reach parts of the Surrey and Berkshire countryside with trains to Staines, Windsor, Bracknell and Reading. There are also National Railcards available which for an annual cost of £30 can offer 30% discounts on mainline routes as well as some off peak TFL routes. The Family and Friends Railcard can be particularly beneficial if you are travelling in family groups.
CAR VERSUS TRAIN
You may be convinced that doing all of this is better for the planet, but is it cheaper than the car? It’s hard to give a general answer but with the summer holidays approaching I took two examples of a day out from St Margaret’s with one adult and two children (5-15) travelling. For the rail journeys I have presumed that the investment of a £30 Families and Friends Railcard has been made. On the other hand I haven’t taken the overheads of running a car into consideration. Costs were calculated using the South Western Railway website, and the ViaMichelin route planning website which allows you calculate the cost by selecting the size of car and cost of petrol. For this comparison, I have used a cost of £1.91 per litre and a hatchback family car.
Brighton Time (one way) Cost (return)
By Car 1hr 30 mins £27.20
By Rail 1hr 42 mins £31.60 (after 9.30am)
Windsor
By Car 32 mins £9.90
By Rail 42 mins £10.75 (after 9.30am)
In both cases it costs a bit more and takes a bit longer to go by train. However, I haven’t the added cost and time of parking, which would tip it in favour of going by train. Neither route is without the hazard of delays and in the case of the trains currently - strikes! But providing we have done the planning and taken something to read or a pack of cards – I favour the train anyday.
So, are you ready to think before reaching for the car keys? How about starting with the journey to church? You may live within the parish in which case walking is an easy option, but for those further afield we have five bus routes that stop at St Stephen’s (33, R68,110, 490 and H37). St Margaret’s station is eight minutes’ walk away, and you can cycle along the towpath if you are coming from Richmond or Twickenham. So, what’s stopping you?
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