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Transporting large/ awkward things long distances is pretty much exactly what cars are needed for. Trips like yours However are used to justify the dominance of cars everywhere, all the time. You're trying to get out of London for your trip, but you're stuck in traffic for hours because the streets are fouled up with parked vehicles and people in SUVS popping to the shops. Fewer cars would be a good thing for people who need cars.
None of you have ever had to transport a dog and a bike home from London to Ireland once a year for Christmas holidays without a car and it shows.