A new survey has revealed that Britons believe that London will be the first city in the world to go car-free by 2050.
A national poll commissioned by bike company Swapfiets was taken by 2,000 people and found that they thought it would be the nation’s capital where cars would no longer be the primary means of travel, ahead of Amsterdam, Tokyo, Copenhagen and Beijing.
The findings were released ahead of World Car Free Day on Friday October 22, come after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pushed back a series of green measures although still insisting that the UK would meet its net-zero targets by 2050.
The survey findings reveal that more than half of Brits think that bikes and e-bikes are most likely to replace cars, with under a quarter believing that it will be scooters which will become the primary mode of travel instead of cars. Ten per cent of pollers had revealed that they believe futuristic hoverboards are the most likely replacement for cars, although we must say we’re quite sceptical. Here are the top five alternative modes of transport Brits think would be most common in a car-free city:
- Bikes and e-bikes (55%)
- Trams (46%)
- Scooters (23%)
- Segways (12%)
- Travelators (10%)
AI images were created of what London and other cities may look like in the year 2050 if they did become car-free, following the survey. Futurist Dan Sodergren, who helped create the AI images, said: “This societal shift promises not only to better our environment but also to redefine our urban spaces – think walkable pedestrian zones, extensive cycling paths, and an influx of green spaces to aid in the battle against climate change.”
Swapfiets has said that if e-bikes were to replace all 2.6 million registered cars in the capital, some 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 could be avoided each year. That’s the equivalent of:
- 125,000 double-decker buses
- 110,000 Big Ben bells
- Over 700 London eye’s
- Almost 3.3 million pints of beer
Brits think car-less cities will be much more liveable when asked how they think they will look. There will be fewer roads but more green spaces and trees (41%), more cycling and pedestrianised zones (40%) and lots more street dining (24%). Brits would also expect to see new landmarks, more commemorative statues and more sporting facilities.
Amanda Gandolpho, Swapfiets Brand Director, says, “We hope that the pictures inspire people to visualise how more liveable cities will look once they are less congested, with cleaner air, and healthier people and the shift to cycling is a big contributor to that.”