Transport

Transport

Changing the way you travel can help save fuel and help you to save money.  Both individuals and organisations can benefit from even the smallest changes.  Look at the different headings to find out how you could save.

Driving more efficiently

Fuel efficient driving techniques can reduce the amount of fuel you use in a journey.  By driving more efficiently you can reduce your fuel consumption by up to 15 percent and increase your miles per gallon (MPG.)  The good news is that this is not difficult to achieve and may only mean a couple of changes to the way you currently drive.

Simple tips like:

  • Removing all the excess weight from your vehicle, such as toolboxes or things you don’t use every day, or roof boxes that create an extra drag, can reduce the amount of fuel your vehicle uses.
  • Shifting to a higher gear and anticipating the road conditions to avoid excessive braking can not only save money but can also save on wear and tear on your vehicle.
  • Reduce your normal speed – for most cars the most efficient speed is 45–50 mph. The faster you go above this, the more fuel you will use. Driving at 50mph rather than 70mph reduces your fuel consumption by 10% at a stroke.
  • Keep your tyres at optimum pressure – under-inflated tyres not only lead to poor road holding but also cause excessive drag and resistance, and as a result increase fuel consumption. Both over and under-inflated tyres can be dangerous to road holding, so make sure your tyres are at their recommended pressure.
  • Switch off air conditioning unless absolutely necessary – use air conditioning sparingly as your engine has to work harder to make the air conditioning machinery work. If driving at low speed, open the window.
  • Switch off rather than idling if you’re stationary for more than a minute – when stuck in traffic or simply waiting for someone, switch off your engine. Switching off in appropriate situations can soon lead to significant savings.

Using the car less

By planning your journeys, looking into the possibility of car sharing and use of public transport can significantly reduce your fuel costs. 

By anticipating road works you can avoid sitting in traffic burning fuel for no purpose.  This could simply be a case of checking the Traffic Scotland website before you set off.

By sharing your journey to work you can significantly reduce the cost of your commute, some workplaces even offer incentives, i.e. designated car spaces.  

Walking & Cycling

Walking and cycling can be a great alternative for short journeys.  It is often referred to as Active Travel and is one of the easiest ways to increase the amount of exercise you do each day.  There is a lot of support available to plan your route and initiatives to promote this mode of travel to your employees.

Organisations can encourage their workforce to consider options for their commute to work through providing facilities and salary sacrifice schemes.  Not only is this a good way to motivate your team, it could also reduce absenteeism through improving health and wellbeing.

For more information have a look at some of these websites:

CTC Ayrshire

The CTC Ayrshire Club is the county’s largest cycling club group with a well-established, all-year programme of rides varying from 15 to 75 miles.
cyclingayrshire

CTC Dumfries and Galloway

Dedicated to the simple pursuit of cycle-touring and sociable cycling activities, on and off-road, in the pleasant countryside of. Dumfries and Galloway.
www.dandgcycling.org.uk

Cycling Scotland

Cycling Scotland is the national cycle promotion organisation for Scotland.
cyclingscotland

Scottish Outdoor Access Network

The Scottish Outdoor Access Network (SOAN) brings together over 200 people across Scotland who work on outdoor access and related issues.
soan.org.uk

Bike & Go

Bike & Go is a new bike hire scheme that lets you quickly and easily complete your train journey by bike.

Largs Yacht Haven

Largs Yacht Haven have introduced bike hire to all berth holders and marina visitors. In addition to the bikes, helmets and rucksacks are also available from the Marina Office. To find out more click here.

Walkit.com

Gives you a tailored walking route between addresses (rather than a driving route) and includes the time it takes, the calories you burn and the CO2 you save.
www.walkit.com

Cycle to work scheme

Cyclescheme enables your employees to get a bike tax-free saving on average about half the cost.
www.cyclescheme.co.uk

Public Transport

Planning your journey is really straightforward using a free tool like Traveline Scotland.  Advance planning can also make a difference to the cost of your journey as you may benefit from reduced ticket prices.

Buying a New or Used Car

If you are a looking for a new car or van you may have noticed the changes to Road Tax.  The Government have reduced the Road Tax for vehicles that emit less CO2.  This is directly linked to the fuel consumption of a vehicle, so they are not only less to tax, but they also have less expensive running costs.

Many manufacturers have cars in their range that attract £0 road tax, so it’s worthwhile looking at both the tax band and the expected MPG to get more miles for your money. Click here to view vehicle tax rate tables.