For those who don’t own a car, many turn to taking the bus as their mode for transportation. Although there is a place for it in some situations, cycling could and arguably should be your primary choice to get from A to B when it’s too far to walk (or you just don’t have the time). In the following article I give you 10 reasons why cycling is better than taking the bus.
1. The Cycle To Work Scheme
Did you know that you may be able to purchase a high quality bike pay no up front cost? The Cycle To Work scheme is a tax incentive scheme to encourage employees to cycle to work. Most employers participate in this scheme because they recognise the health and financial benefits for their employees. Your employer (if you are eligible) would pay up front for the bike and you will pay it back in instalments directly from your wage.
You are not charged for the tax, PRSI or the Universal Social Charge on your repayments, meaning you could save up to 50% on the price of the bike depending on your tax bracket.
You can save on the tax of a pedal bike and accessories (such as a jacket, lights and helmet) up to the value of €1,250 and an electric bike and accessories up to €1,500. The threshold reaches €3,000 should you wish to buy an e-cargo bike.
The value this scheme provides is truly brilliant and one not to be missed if your employer takes part.
2. Where You Want. When You Want.
One key advantage a bike has over a bus is its reliability. There is no more having to rely on the bus turning up on time once you own a bike. You are in control of your journey and can accurately measure the length of time it takes to get to your destination. This not only saves you time, but also the stress, frustration and anxiety of waiting for a bus.
Nearly half of all 220 buses in Cork did not run on schedule between December 2023 and April 2024
Freedom of Information (FOI) act.
A bus being late is frustrating. A bus coming earlier than expected can be even more so. A bus that doesn’t even turn up at all has become increasingly more common.
Another recent statistic revealed “Over two months at the coldest time of the year, there were 112,295 instances where Bus Éireann 214 buses either did not show up for passengers waiting at a stop on the route, or arrived early or late.”
No longer will you have to check bus schedules and keep your fingers crossed. Your schedule and route is down to you. A freedom and flexibility of movement which is restricted by public transport is born once you own a bike and only matched by owning a car.
Unfortunately for bus users the National Bus and Rail Union has been told recently by Bus Eireann “the company knows passengers are being left behind all over the city’ (Cork) but claimed there is no quick fix solution available.”
There is a quick fix. Get a bike!
3. You’ll Get There Faster by Bike
When the bus does arrive on time, the chances are within a 10km radius you would still reach your destination quicker by bike. Over short distances you might even arrive to your destination by bike by the time it would take you to walk to the bus stop!
The below graphic from Google Maps depicts a journey from Cork City Hall to Wilton Shopping centre which is just under 5km.
Should you take the bike, rather than the bus, you would arrive there 8 minutes quicker (and only 3 minutes shorter than by car). This does not take into account walking to the bus stop so in reality it would be even faster. Over such distances the bike is a clear winner when it comes to speed and saving time. The start/stop nature of buses does not make for a fluid or quick journey.
Should we double the distance to 10km from the same starting point the results show a closer time length to reach the destination. The below graphic shows a journey between Cork City Hall and Little Island.
There is only a 1 minute time difference for this route, which again does not take into account walking to the City Hall bus stop. From a fitness perspective a 20km round trip in a day might not sound feasible for beginners. However your fitness level is not a variable needed to be taken into account should you decide to opt for an electric bike.
Time is precious and the less of it spent commuting the better.
4. You’ll Save Money
Many who opt to use the bus in Cork pay €68 a month for the Monthly Cork Red Zone Pass. This equates to €816 per annum. That’s more than a good quality bike. You also own the bike and it should last you for years. This is a huge saving in the medium to long term.
Even when taking into account servicing the bike perhaps once or twice a year, buying cleaning products to maintain it and replacing parts the money saved will be huge. Also don’t forget you can avail the bike to work scheme once every four years!
5. Health Is Wealth
You’ll not only get where you want to go faster and save money in the process, but perhaps the most important advantage of choosing the bike is the health boost.
A major 5 year study of 263,450 UK commuters discovered that those who cycled to work had far fewer serious health incidences and deaths from all causes, in-particular cancer and cardiovascular disease, compared to drivers and even those who walk to work!
6. Two Birds One Stone
Many are unable to find the time to workout and keep fit. When you choose to cycle to work or elsewhere you are simultaneously getting fit and losing weight whilst travelling.
There are few, if any, more time efficient ways to build muscle, lose weight and improve your health than to cycle to and from your required destination.
7. Parking Is Free And Abundant
One of the bonuses of cycling is you can park up pretty much anywhere. Cork has many designated locations to lock up your bike which means you can leave your bike close to wherever you want to go.
Bicycle thieves do unfortunately exist, however many are opportunists keeping an eye out for an easy target. There are some proven methods to deter them:
- Spend 10% to 20% of the value of your bike on two locks. Locks are included on the bike to work scheme allowance.
- Lock your bike tightly to an immovable object.
- Keep the lock off the ground.
- Take a photo of your bike, note the serial number and email it to yourself so that you have a record of it. Or download the “An Garda Siochana App” which allows you to store it and send information directly if the worst happens and it is stolen.
- Lock your bike indoors or in well-lit areas if possible.
8. Cycling Is Safer Than You Think
Let’s address the elephant in the room. Despite all the clear positives the big negative is that cycling is dangerous? It is the main reason people choose not to cycle after all. Despite this, the facts tell a different story.
Pedestrian road deaths in Ireland were the highest for 15 years in 2023. Based on a study in The UK, mile by mile, people are actually more likely to die walking than cycling, according to figures from the Department for Transport in 2015. For every billion miles cycled in 2014, 30.9 cyclists were killed, while 35.8 pedestrians were killed for every billion miles walked.
Cycling is now safer than ever before in many urban areas, with great strides being made to ensure more protection for cyclists. Cycle infrastructure has improved dramatically over the past couple of decades. Designated cycle paths keep cyclists out of harms way meaning the chances of collision are greatly reduced. Cork for instance now has many cycling lanes in the City (pictured below), with the number constantly increasing.
In my experience if you follow the rule ‘assume you’re invisible’ whilst cycling the chances of being in an accident dramatically decreases. Load up on reflective gear for the evening and wear fluorescent yellow during the day. It can occasionally be too warm for a jacket, so a fluorescent yellow helmet is a great purchase. This can be worn all year round no matter the weather. Equip your bike with a good set of lights and keep them on day and night. Flash mode is generally the most visible for drivers. Be particularly careful at junctions and in wet weather where the stopping distance increases. Never cycle on the inside of buses and lorries where they may turn left.
There are no solutions, only trade-offs. The chances of you being in a serious accident are very small, whereas the chances of your health improving are guaranteed.
9. There’s No Such Thing As Bad Weather…
Only unsuitable clothing. Getting wet is often another reason people object to cycling. However fear not, waterproof clothing is a staple in every cyclists arsenal. Jackets, Over-trousers and Overshoes ensure the rain will not soak through. Don’t forget these accessories are included in your Bike To Work Scheme allowance.
In my experience walking/ waiting in the rain is a far worse experience than cycling in it. At least whilst cycling you will remain warm, which not only combats one ramification of being wet, but another in that you’ll less likely get sick afterwards!
Don’t forget, you don’t have to cycle everyday and ditch the bus completely. You could commit to cycling in 2 or 3 times a week or just on dry days if that works for you!
10. Cyclists Are Happier
Cyclists are consistently found to be the happiest commuters study after study. And it is important to note that they are not merely just happier people in general. Switching from a car or a bus to a bike provides a noticeable boost to people’s psychological wellbeing.
Not only are endorphins released when cycling, but cyclists also avoid many of the frustrating aspects of driving. Traffic jams are not an issue when on two wheels. You just whizz past the stationary vehicles and get to the front of the queue. Quite a satisfying feeling!
Another irritating aspect of public transport is the risk of being stuck on a journey with unsavoury or disruptive passengers which occasionally happens. At its worst, ‘Corridors of crime’ is how one Government representative recently described buses. Taking the bike is a far more peaceful experience!
The numerous health benefits which cycling brings naturally also makes you feel much happier.
Get Your New Bike Today!
So we have outlined why cycling is superior to taking public transport. Cycling is more reliable, you’ll get fit and healthy, save time and money and feel much better as a result!
Call into us at The Edge Sports Shop and we’ll be more than happy to help you pick the ideal bike for you. Whether it be a Road, Hybrid, MTB, Electric or even a Cargo bike our huge range ensures we’ll have the perfect travel companion!
You can also find us online at www.theedge-sports.com or reach us on 021 432 0522
