Soaring petrol and diesel costs risk pushing drivers to ditch cars and 'rethink' travel options

Rising fuel costs have been pushing more petrol and diesel drivers to ditch their cars and turn to cycling and e-bikes, new research suggested.

A poll found almost a third of London motorists are now cycling more or seriously considering it as fuel prices continue to rise.

The survey, carried out by Opinium for e-bike rental company Lime, showed that 29 per cent of drivers in the capital have either increased their cycling or are thinking about making the switch.

A further 15 per cent of drivers said they would consider using bikes more often if petrol and diesel prices keep climbing.

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The research questioned 1,000 adults in London between April 8 and April 13, including 825 people with access to a car in their household.

Young drivers were found to be leading the trend away from traditional motoring. Among Londoners aged between 18 and 34, around 44 per cent said they were already cycling more or actively considering replacing some journeys with bikes.

The growing shift comes as motorists face soaring costs at forecourts following tensions in the Middle East.

Iran's restrictions on ships travelling through the Strait of Hormuz have pushed up global oil prices, leaving UK drivers paying far more to fill up their vehicles.

Petrol prices are now around 26p per litre higher on average than before the conflict escalated on February 28. Diesel drivers have seen even steeper rises, with prices jumping by 44p per litre.

The increase is forcing many households to rethink how they travel around the capital. Alice Pleasant, senior public affairs manager at Lime, said many Londoners were now looking for cheaper alternatives to driving.

She said: "Rising petrol prices are the latest in a number of factors prompting a shift in how Londoners travel, with many drivers actively rethinking their reliance on cars.

"More people are starting to look for alternatives that are affordable and flexible, cycling being the obvious choice."

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She admitted bikes could not replace every journey but said cycling offered "a practical, low-cost way to get to where they need to go" for many people.

Campaigners explained the rising cost of fuel could permanently change travel habits in London. London Cycling Campaign chief executive Tom Fyans said cycling was one of the best ways for drivers to avoid high fuel prices.

He said: "Cycling more is an ideal way to beat surging prices at the pump. It's not only cheap and will stay cheap, but it's also healthy, very safe in London and helps us do our bit in not feeding global instability."

More worryingly, the findings suggested financial pressure is becoming a major factor behind changing transport habits in the capital.

But fuel costs are not the only reason Londoners are abandoning cars and public transport for bikes. Separate research by Lime in September last year found the London tube strikes also encouraged commuters to switch to cycling.

During a four-day underground strike, journeys on Lime rental bikes rose by 54 per cent compared with the previous week.

That study also found 28 per cent of Londoners became more likely to consider cycling because of disruption on the rail network.

The latest figures suggest a combination of expensive fuel, unreliable public transport and the search for cheaper travel options is encouraging more people to get on two wheels.

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