It’s so predictable it has almost become a British tradition. Right when we’re recovering from the excesses of Christmas and New Year’s, we get hit by another nauseating fare increase!
As if going back to work after the festivities wasn’t tough enough, this year workers have been hit with ticket price increases of up to 3.6%. This totals a 32% increase since 2010. It won’t come as a surprise that yesterday saw protests at more than 40 train stations all over the country.
To add insult to injury, over this time services only seem to have gotten worse. Evermore crowded carriages and delayed trains only add to the continuing misery for many hard working commuters. Last year the Evening Standard described London buses being slower than a horse and cart.
No wonder an increasing number of people are turning to alternative ways to get to work. This week the Guardian reported a 9.4% drop in tickets sales between July and September 2017.
Driving isn’t any better, petrol prices are at their highest for 4 years, London has the new £10 T-Charge for older diesel vehicles and traffic congestion means getting anywhere takes longer and longer. So how do people fed up with these conditions improve their commute? Well, you won’t be surprised that we think the best solution is an e-bike!
As electric bikes become more affordable and efficient, they’re the obvious choice for many. After all, they help fulfil everyone’s New Year’s resolution of getting more exercise, without paying for a gym membership!
In fact, e-bikes are perfect all year round. During the Winter and Autumn you can skip the usual travel chaos and delayed services at the tube and train stations as soon as some leaves fall on the tracks. Plus, when Spring and Summer arrive who wouldn’t prefer to be in the open air to being stuck in a sweltering carriage amongst sweaty armpits?
It becomes even clearer when you do the maths. With the VOLT Metro commuter e-bike at £1299, commuters using even the cheapest Zone 1 travelcard (£131 p/m) get their money back within a year. People commuting from further afield like Shenfield in Essex (£406.30 p/m) will get their money in a matter of months! Don’t forget our electric bikes are available on Cycle to Work Schemes too, meaning you could make even greater savings.