Brits have no plans to cut back on taxi and public transport spending this festive period

Brits have no plans to cut back on transport spending over the Christmas and New Year period research has revealed, despite the ongoing rise in living costs facing many.

More than 60% of people said they will celebrate to the fullest, without changing their plans when it comes to travel. Over half (54%) of people say public transport and taxi are their preferred modes of transport when leaving company parties and family celebrations during the festive season, whilst a third of 36-45 year-olds prefer to only travel by taxi.

According to historical data, the best time to have a ride scheduled to take you home on New Year’s Eve using FREE NOW is between 12 to 2am, whilst 2 to 4am is the busiest times to get a taxi.

The research follows a survey conducted by FREE NOW which compiled responses from 500 people across the UK aged between 18-65.

The survey also revealed that over half of the UK public plan to increase their use of sustainable transport choices in 2023 - as a way to cut spending and look after the planet. Almost a third say that sustainable transport - including shared mobility and public transport - are more important in the wake of the Cost of Living Crisis.

Mariusz Zabrocki, General Manager UK at FREE NOW, said: “Sustainability is increasingly an important topic to both the general public and FREE NOW drivers. Already this year we’ve seen a 200% increase in micromobility usage on the platform and nearly three-quarters of all taxi and private hire tours were done with electrified vehicles. This is only set to continue in 2023 with more people pledging to prioritise sustainable transport in their daily lives, with FREE NOW on hand to support them in any way they like to travel.”