Climate change and resource depletion result in greater scarcity and rising costs for basic goods. Environmental sustainability and the circular economy become default concerns of the collaborative economy. Local food and energy initiatives are linked up through collaborative economy platforms, which minimises replication and helps spread surpluses to a wider market. Bike sharing and collaborative car schemes are also promoted to minimise personal car use.

Government provides incentives for collaborative economy initiatives that markedly reduce consumption as well as environmental impact; likewise, penalties and taxes are imposed on platforms that facilitate greater consumption or waste. With greater productivity of existing assets and reduced consumption, fewer foreign goods are imported (and domestic goods produced) in the UK.

The Numbers

• The proportion of people with jobs who cycle to work in England and Wales is 2.8 per cent. In inner London it has risen over the last decade from 3.5 to 6.5 per cent; in Cambridge it is nearer 30 per cent
• Assuming a massive expansion in bikeshare schemes in cities, we could see an extra million cyclists in greater London, and an extra 55,000 in Manchester
• Given that the population of London is expected to rise by around 13 per cent in the next decade the number of additional cyclists would rise further, say, to nearer 1.2 million by around 2025 with commensurate benefits to household incomes and individual fitness and wellbeing