#Ask the internet: Find me a cheaper way to travel to work!

Right, I'm sick of spending £160 a month on petrol.

I honestly think.... with some help from the internet and its users i can find a cheaper way to travel to work everyday.

Monday-Friday i travel 14.7 miles in my 1.6 Peugeot 307, setting off at around 8.a.m from Starbeck (HG2) to Chapel Allerton (LS17). On a clear day (School or public holiday) it should take 20-25 minutes, however these clear days are rare. Usually it takes me between 30-50 minutes to travel 14.7 miles. Most of the way i am stuck in bumper to bumper traffic!

It "should" cost me an estimated £2.02 per trip based on my cars MPG so that's that's £20.20 a week - but due to the excessive stopping and starting every day the price almost doubles!

My working hours are non negotiable so i can't set off or come home earlier!

My Car insurance is around £55 per month and the road tax on the 307 is £240.

Adding all these cost together i have worked out how much i spend per year on travel and costs:

Petrol is for 47weeks =  £1880 ( -holiday and sick days) + Road Tax £240 + Insurance £550 = £2670 (that's £222.50 a month). This is not even taking into consideration the MOT, Service and replacing tyres, window, wipers, de-icer, screen wash. Which i have rounded up £250 a year.

So adding the £250 + £2670 i spend £2920 (243.3 a mouth) on travel to work!

I do not want to sell my car as i want my other half to have it. I want to know if there is a way to travel to work that would cost no more than £160 (My petrol costs per month).

The problem with hopping on a bus is that I would have to get one from just outside my house to Harrogate bus station which takes around 7-15 minutes, then on from the station to work on the 36 bus which take around and hour in rush hour traffic. A monthly golden ticket is only £93 but it would almost take me twice as long as it would in a car to get to work - so not really something I would be prepared to do being honest.

The train is not an options as it does not stop anywhere near my place of work! 

I have been having a look at 125cc motorbikes and have found a cheap one for just around £1100. The Lexmoto Vixen HT125-8 looks like a great commuter bike! If I spread the cost over 3 years it would cost me £54 on finance, £50 insurance a month and then petrol which I worked out as £50 a month, then you have tax which is around £35 and then eventually an MOT.

I can't rely justify committing to a 3 year finance deal, let along a bike to get me to work in all weather! For the little bit extra a month i would rather use the car as it is safer, more comfortable and most importantly warm.

If anyone has had experience with cutting travel costs please do let me know it would be nice to hear from you!

Electric cars are a massive waste of time and money as they extra charges each month for battery rental and you have to replace the battery every few years. Also its work mentioning that i would have to create a charging hub at home - not a hard task but one I don't really want to do being honest.

I have looked into lift-shares and found only 4 people making the journey from Harrogate to Leeds. The problem with these four people are is that they live a good 10 minute drive from my house, would they be willing to add that onto their journey twice a day in rush hour traffic for £20 a week?


Just for fun it would take me 4.5 hours to walk and 1 hour and 10 minutes to cycle!

I feel that i have looked into all avenues and have no other real alternatives but to keep the car and drive. I hope the internet can help me find a cheaper way to travel to work!