More people in the UK will use sustainable transport in 2023

According to new research, over half of the UK public plan to increase their use of sustainable transport choices in 2023 – as a way to cut spending and look after the planet. Almost a third say that sustainable transport – including shared mobility (micromobility, taxis and private hire vehicles) and public transport – is more important in the wake of the current cost-of-living crisis. The research was carried out by Free Now, a European mobility services provider.

The findings show a marked shift in travel priorities across the UK where micromobility, including e-bikes and e-scooters as well as ride-hailing and lift-sharing, have been increasing in popularity. Free Now has seen a 200% growth in shared mobility usage in 2022 alone.

The UK’s top transport resolutions:

• Use more shared mobility: People plan to travel in different ways with 14% pledging to use shared mobility more
• Consider living without a private car: Almost half of young people think they could live without a car, by using taxis, private hire vehicles, e-scooters and e-bikes
• Use more public transport: 37% of people said they will rely on public transport more in 2023
• Go electric: More than one in 10 (14%) are going to replace their car with a new, cleaner model such as an electric car (EV) or hybrid, with new EV driver registrations on the Free Now app up 120% this year

Free Now’s findings are revealed following a year in which the company stepped up its sustainability. Whilst overall trips have increased 32% this year, nearly three-quarters (74%) of those trips have taken place in electrified vehicles, as part of Free Now’s efforts to become an all-electric platform by 2025. There has been a significant increase in EV drivers coming onto the platform this year, up 120%. Free Now offers a £2,000 subsidy to help drivers make the switch to an EV – both for black cab drivers and private hire vehicles.

“Sustainability is increasingly an important topic to both the general public and Free Now drivers,” says Mariusz Zabrocki, general manager UK at Free Now. “Already this year we’ve seen a 200% increase in micromobility usage on the platform and nearly three-quarters of all taxi and private hire tours were done in electrified vehicles. This is only set to continue in 2023 with more people pledging to prioritize sustainable transport in their daily lives, with Free Now on hand to support them in any way they like to travel. We are committed to becoming net zero by 2030, making all taxis in the UK market electric by 2024 and all private hire vehicles by 2025, and we will continue to work towards this goal.”