Britain may be a nation of two car families, but despite regular lockdowns and heightened concerns about the climate over the last two years, we are still unlikely to give up our second drive.

Research from Volkswagen Financial Services has found that only one in ten families have given up their second car since March 2020, even though financial pressures have increased since Covid.

People need to commute less, and very often travel less far on car journeys, but only 9 per cent have reduced their fleet of vehicles.

Latest figures from the Department for Transport reveal that there were 280.5 billion vehicle miles travelled in 2020, which was a decrease of just 21.3 per cent, which might not seem that much to those of us who were stuck in lockdown for three or four months of the year.

The research from VWFS that eight out of ten British motorists have always had a love for motoring and that more than half of those surveyed find sanctuary in their car to escape from everyday life, and a quarter enjoy the time it gives them.

“The UK loves driving, and this study shows that even when we don’t use them or rely on them as much as we have in the past, we just can’t bear to part with our beloved cars,” said Mike Todd, CEO at VWFS.

“However, as the UK continues to transition to greener travel, I think we’re likely to see consumer habits develop and younger generations accessing cars via a subscription rather than owning one outright. As we all become more environmentally conscious, people will start thinking more broadly about how they travel and should ask themselves: do I need to own a car or simply have use of one?”

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