London is notorious for its Christmas Day travel disruption. But this year could look different. With no TfL services or National Rail trains operating on Christmas Day many Londoners are predicted to, once again, turn to Lime e-bikes to move around the capital in a way reminiscent of September’s strikes.
While many Londoners leave the capital or travel for Christmas, a large cohort remain in London to celebrate with family or work (ONS figures suggest upwards of 95,000 Londoners work on Christmas Day) looking for quick and affordable ways to move around the city.
Alice Pleasant, Senior Public Affairs Manager, Lime:
“On Christmas Day, London’s movement patterns look completely different from a typical day, but they give us a fascinating look into how people choose to move around the city and celebrate with loved ones.”
Lime’s data from Christmas Day 2024 shows
We saw 2.5× more first-time riders than on a typical December day.
The top areas for rides included some of the capital’s most recognisable Christmas locations:
o Covent Garden
o Piccadilly Circus
o Westminster
o Trafalgar Square
o Hyde Park
The most popular route to travel on Christmas day 2024 was Hyde Park Corner > Westminster > Embankment > Tower of London
The busiest riding period was between 11am and 7pm, and the average trip lasted 81% longer than a normal December day.
We also recorded a 198% increase in group rides compared with a typical December day
Londoners have turned to shared e-bikes during other periods of travel disruption this year. During the September Tube strikes, Lime usage increased by more than 58% when compared with the previous week.
A recent Lime-commissioned survey of 1,000 London adults, conducted by Opinium, reveals that:
Over a third of 18–34-year-olds (37%) plan to cycle to a Christmas party this year.
Their motivations are largely practical: low cost (25%), environmental benefits (23%), and speed (23%) top the list.
Style plays a role too. One in four young Londoners (25%) say cycling feels more fashionable than other transport options.
21% say they want to avoid dirty seats on public transport, while 19% worry about overheating in their party outfits.
Separately, a third (34%) of 18–34-year-old Londoners agree it’s “cooler” to arrive at a Christmas party by bike or e-bike than by any other mode of transport.
