In a world where we’re encouraged to take the eco-friendly option, something we can do that’s good for our bodies and good for the environment is to cycle to work. And yet, data released from Cycle to Work Day revealed that just 5% of the UK’s commuters travel by bike and just 1% cycle to work daily*.
60% of Working Professionals Still Drive to Work
A national survey involving more than 7,400 working professionals** found that 84% commute to a place of work at least once per week.
Commuting by car still proves the most popular way to travel. 60% drive to work at least some of the week, with 23% doing so daily. This contributes to an estimated 18 billion kg of CO2e annually or 5% of the UK’s total emissions, generated by daily car journeys.
By comparison, less than a third (31%) of people use public transport, with 8% doing so daily. Just 13% walk to work, with only 5% doing so every day.
The figures, collected from individuals working across industries from financial services to architecture by net zero consultancy, Flotilla, highlight the hidden impact of employee commutes on a business’s carbon footprints.
How Can Businesses Help?
Flotilla is encouraging businesses to seize the opportunity presented by government-supported Cycle to Work schemes to offer financial savings to their employees and reduce carbon emissions.
Demand for climate action is high among the UK’s workforce. According to the same Flotilla survey data:
- 86% of the UK’s employees believe we all have a responsibility to reduce the impact we have on our planet, both at home and at work.
- 77% are ready and willing to support climate action in the context of their work.
- 73% want to work for an organization that focuses on reducing its carbon footprint.
Opportunity for Businesses to Support Net Zero
Francesca Woodward, Marketing Director at Flotilla said:
“While it is disappointing that cars remain the most common method of transport for commuters, our findings present a massive opportunity for UK businesses to encourage more sustainable behaviours within their teams.
“A daily commute by car, especially when made alone in a high-polluting vehicle, contributes significantly both to our national carbon emissions and an individual company’s Scope 3 emissions – which typically account for over 80% of a business’s total carbon footprint.
“The choice to cycle rather than drive not only offers health and wellbeing benefits to the employee but significant carbon savings too. We encourage any business that hasn’t already taken advantage of the government’s Cycle to Work Scheme, part of the Department for Transport’s Moving Britain Ahead campaign. There is an option for businesses of every size and financial need. Salary sacrifice schemes are perfect for those on a budget as they incur no financial costs in the long run, and even offer National Insurance and tax reductions for the employer.
“By supporting their teams to travel more sustainably, businesses across the UK could unlock generous cost and carbon savings, helping to pave the way to a net zero economy and pollution-free commute.”
According to the most recent government data, commuting makes up 14% of the nation’s domestic travel. In 2022, the average person made 119 commutes, and the average commute took 28 minutes.
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*daily = 5 or more days per week.
**Sample of 7,749 working professionals, captured by Flotilla 2022 – 2024.
