'We gave up our car for three years'

The Wilson family travelled everywhere by either bike, train or on foot for three years

The Wilson family gave up their car in a bid to be "part of the solution" when it comes to the environment. What caused them to return to driving?

When Sophie Gollop came up with the idea of ditching the family car, her husband Stanley Wilson initially thought it was a crazy suggestion but decided to "give it a whirl".

"One day I just thought: 'no we don't need it'," said the 38-year-old mother, who lives with Mr Wilson in the West Yorkshire village of Mytholmroyd - a little over five miles from Halifax - with their two children, Douglas, eight, and six-year-old Maggie.

"It just didn't seem like a big deal at all. It was like an opportunity to be a bit more fit, get more fresh air.

"I thought it was really good fun not having a car for a while, it made you think about things in a completely different way."

So in 2015 they got rid of their red diesel "polluter", and also shunned flights, with holidays involving long train journeys to the south of France.

The kids wore ski goggles on their way to school during the winter when it snowed

But the long walk to school and unpredictable weather somewhat dampened their enthusiasm for all things environmental - they lasted three years before buying a second-hand electric car.

"It was difficult at times, mostly with the weather," said 43-year-old Mr Wilson, who runs a lighting equipment factory, which he set up with his wife.

"[The children] struggled with it more than we did, in particular because when it was raining - and in winter especially when it snows sometimes - we'd have to get them kitted up with waterproof trousers and waterproof coats, to get to school so they'd arrive dry.

"We'd pull up outside the school and they'd need to get undressed from their waterproofs. It felt they were becoming conscious of themselves and other kids looking at them.

"It wasn't totally easy for them and in the end, we ended up buying a car again so they didn't have to go through that every day."

He said owning and using a car again felt like "heaven when you've not had one for a long time".

"We're in a real jam with the environment," Mr Wilson said.

"We want to help save the planet and do the right thing but we also don't want to put our kids through too much trauma."

A car-free life brought the family closer together, said Mr Wilson

Along with achieving a "trimmer waistline", there were many other benefits to going car-free.

"There were aspects about travelling on public transport and out walking and cycling that brought us closer together as a family," said Mr Wilson.

Ms Gollop said: "What we realised when we started travelling by train together, rather than driving, was that it's actually nice family time where we can sit and talk more and, obviously they are on devices for a large portion of that, but we do get to have a chat and play games.

"It was a really brilliant time for us, the family."

The Wilsons have not ruled out going car-free again and say they are likely to do it again when the children are old enough to travel independently.

Not having a car was "actually quite a calming and nice experience", said Ms Gollop

But what is the secret to maintaining a lifestyle without four wheels?

"We're very lucky we set up a business ourselves," said Mr Wilson, "and I think some of that required a leap of faith to just get stuck in and do it - have an idea and get on with it - and it's kind of the same, isn't it, with reducing your footprint?

"Have a bit of self-confidence and get going, there's no time like the present."

"You don't know until you try," added Ms Gollop.