For many families in the UK, owning a car is a necessity. Our public transport is underdeveloped for the modern world, many live rurally with no access to other means of transport. Having a car is a requirement for many.

However, cars are a method of transportation and should be viewed as such. The rise in car finance (namely PCPs) has seen this change with the car fast becoming a status symbol for many. However, with the meteoric rise in car finance, expensive cars have become widespread.

But did you know this method of financing that car can have a profound impact on financial stability and overall quality of life?

Since their introduction in 2008 PCPs have seen a huge growth in popularity. The consumer car finance market is the largest of the UK consumer credit markets accounting for 36% of the total value of outstanding consumer credit contracts at the end of September 2024

One of the most common financing methods is a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP), where consumers pay a deposit and monthly payments for a brand-new vehicle, often upgrading to another new model every three years.

But what is the opportunity cost of this? What are you potentially leaving on the table? Have you ever zoomed out and wondered what would be if you broke the chain and kept a car longer? Let’s explore the true cost of your PCP vs a Second-Hand used car.

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As someone who enjoys using a bike for short trips, I’ve always been baffled by the fact that eBikes haven’t been pushed harder by governments—or should I say the UK government? Those who enjoy cycling will know of the benefits of cycling in the Netherlands vs. the UK but the age-old debate of a flat country will always rear its head. But what about eBikes and why aren’t we using them?

With modern eBikes boasting an 80+ mile range, minimal charging costs, and easy storage, they seem like an obvious choice for short commutes. Yet, the popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) has skyrocketed as a genuine ‘clean’ option (although subjective) vs an ICE car.

So, why is this? Is it cultural? Are government incentives swaying the market? Or is it a combination of factors?

Our focus here at Family Cycling is to make your life better so I wanted to explore why an eBike should be a genuine option for you from a health and financial perspective. 

Let’s break it down and explore whether an eBike could be a better alternative to purchasing a brand-new EV.

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Learning to ride a bike is a milestone in a child’s life, not just for the physical benefits but also for the confidence and independence it fosters. The question of when a child should learn to ride a bike really should be as EARLY as possible. Of course, we are biased here at Family Cycling 🙂

Our daughter was 4 years old when she was comfortable pedalling, and our son is of a similar age and can cycle, too (although he needs a little more persuasion).

But the question of when is the best age for a child to begin cycling, and how to support them through the process, is one that many parents face.

While the age range can vary depending on the child, evidence suggests that starting early can be immensely beneficial.

In this article, we explore the optimal ages, key stages, and the importance of early cycling, with insights from the UK and other successful countries, including the Netherlands and the Nordic region.

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As part of our case study into walking and cycling, we wanted to look at the impact of getting more secondary school students to walk or cycle to school.

The numbers are currently ‘ok’ but should be better. At secondary school age, the freedom and autonomy of cycling/walking to school should be something that is embraced. But what impact could it have on emissions, air quality and the level of cars on the road? Not only that but can it have a positive impact on the mental and physical health of our teenagers?

The scenario-based case study below looks at an 18% rise in students embracing active travel across England to get to and from school.

The elephant in the room when it comes to cars is that we have too many people driving. We haven’t the space or infrastructure to accommodate the level of journeys via car and as such congestion will get worse before getting better.

Let’s dive into the numbers, shall we?

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