Nearly 50% of drivers – 15 million – have said that they could not substitute any of their car journeys with public transport, according to a study by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) published by insurer Swiftcover.

A further three million drivers said they could not give up their car, no matter how expensive it became to run.

The survey also found that 4.5 million parents took their children to school by car at least once or twice a week, with fewer than 10% saying there was a public transport alternative.

“We are amazed – it seems like many millions of motorists believe they have no alternative to their cars,” said Swiftcover’s chief executive Andrew Blowers.