What Is the Future of City Transport in the UK?

Feb 12, 2024

As our cities grow and our population increases, finding efficient and sustainable transportation solutions becomes more important than ever. UK cities are facing challenges in managing congestion, reducing pollution and improving residents’ ability to get around. However amidst these challenges, there is opportunity to secure a more sustainable future - here are some of the key trends we’re seeing.

Electric Vehicles

One of the trends shaping the future of city transportation in the UK is the rise of electric vehicles (EVs). With advancements in battery technology and an increasing focus on the environment, more and more customers across the country are embracing EVs.

For urban commuters in particular they are becoming an extremely attractive option given more cities are introducing congestion charges and low emissions zones. Electric cars offer zero-emission driving - reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in congested city centres. We’ll certainly be seeing a lot more of these in the next few years.

If you’re thinking about going electric take a look at our article about what to consider before buying an electric vehicle or have a browse of these top-reviewed electric cars popular in the UK in 2024.

e-Scooters & Bikes

Driven by increases in costs and congestion, more people are abandoning cars in favour of smaller, more mobile options like scooters and bikes.

Cycling has skyrocketed in popularity over the last few years in cities across the UK. This was partly fuelled by the pandemic and now we see earlier schemes like Santander Cycles supplemented by private bike hire companies like Lime, Dott and Human Forest. Now common across major cities, we can expect more people to choose cycling to get around.

In London, the Department of Transport is trialling an e-scooter rental system (partnered with Dott, Lime and Voi) - if this goes well, we can expect to see a lot more of these on our roads.

Integrated Transport Networks

Creating connectivity between different types of transport will be crucial for the future of commuting - whether that’s bringing people into the city through park and ride schemes or making it more cost-efficient to hop from one bus to another.

Apps are leading the way in multi-modal transport, with services like Citymapper integrating public transport, bike hire and ride sharing options to map out not only the quickest, but also most cost effective routes available in real-time.

Car & Ride Sharing

As it becomes more expensive to own a car, especially in major cities, we’re likely to see an increase in the number of people using car and ride sharing services. Apps like Turo, Hiyacar and Karshare offer the ability for people to get their hands on a car when they need one without the responsibility of upkeep and maintenance. Similarly ride sharing is getting more common since major ride hailing apps like Uber have introduced it.

These apps are already popular and the number of people using them is expected to continually rise over the next few years.

Apps are revolutionising the transport world - for more info on the best ones out there, see our roundup of the best apps and websites to improve your journey, wherever you’re going.