Liftshare: 2015 rail hike is typical of UK's unsustainable transport future
(PRWEB UK) 1 January 2015 -- The UK's leading lift-sharing firm has branded rise in transport costs "unsustainable" in the wake of the latest annual rail fare increase. Liftshare believes UK public transport is now in danger of becoming a luxury many will struggle to afford.
The New Year has begun and rail travellers have been hit with another increase in rail costs. Although National Rail insist the 2.2% hike is the lowest in five years, the fact remains – it now costs more to travel by rail than it did in 2014.
From January 2, the cost of travelling from London to Birmingham by train is £85.68, while the same journey costs just £11.70 with Liftshare – a saving of 65%.
Liftshare enjoys an influx of new members following each annual rail hike, which suggests those dependent on public transport are suddenly unable or unwilling to pay for train fares. This is a snowballing trend for the firm that will assuredly continue in 2015.
Ali Clabburn, Liftshare founder, said of the fare hike: "Not only are the new rail fares outstripping Britain's wage increases, but they also render travel problematic for those who cannot afford to continually dig deeper for the right to stay mobile.
"We believe that anyone – regardless of income or situation, should have ready access to fair and affordable travel. This is Liftshare's aim, and our 400,000-strong member base proves there is a growing appetite for cheap transport across the country."
A telling time-lapse video, produced by open data development firm ITO World, captures Liftshare’s booming adoption rate from 2001 to present day. Each white line represents a journey conducted via the site and shows that Liftshare serves the majority of UK roads.
With inflation set at 1.3% and one in five UK citizens in work poverty¹, more and more people are realising that making use of one of the 38 million empty car seats travelling around Britain’s roads each day is the most logical way to travel, and by splitting petrol prices, costs considerably less than taxi or bus services.
Liftshare offers over 4 million empty car seats every week, and 30,000 journeys on the M25 alone – offering a sustainable, greener and affordable mode of transport that is cheaper and more social than expensive rail journeys.
-ENDS-
Notes to Editor:
Source:
¹ Statistic courtesy of Living Wage UK
It is clear that the desire to save money is growing as austerity measures continue to hammer those without suitable income. Liftshare and the broader sharing economy are on-hand to help those in need get access to the commodities and services they require without breaking the bank.
Liftshare is set to enjoy a bumper year in 2015, with new booking systems and key partnerships with firms up and down the country; there is no better time than now to check out the money-saving benefits of lift-sharing.
• Liftshare are pioneers of the #sharingeconomy;
• Liftshare.com is a free website with the aim of giving everyone someone to car share with;
• Over 600,000 people have registered with Liftshare and 1 in 100 cars in the UK is registered on the site;
• Members will share an estimated 507 million miles over the next 12 months, saving approximately 167,000 tonnes of CO2
• In 1965 car occupancy was 2, but since then it has slowly declined to the current level of 1.6;
• Liftshare operates over 1,200 car share schemes across the UK, including councils, businesses, hospitals, universities and community groups;
• Awards include: EU Sustainability Week Award 2012 | Eurostar Ashden Award for Sustainable Travel 2012 | Nectar National Small Business Award 2010 | Queen’s Award for Innovation 2008
• The typical driver who car-shares for their daily commute saves £987 a year.
PR Contact:
For more case studies, photography or additional comments from Liftshare’s CEO Ali Clabburn contact: Emma Cook, emma(at)liftshare(dot)com / 07749 574361
Emma Cook, Liftshare, 07749574361, [email protected]
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