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Environment and greener living

Car sharing and car clubs

With more cars on the roads, car sharing schemes are becoming more popular. Car sharing can help combat congestion and reduce CO2 emissions. Joining a car club can also have benefits for the environment - and could save you money.

The benefits of car sharing

Car sharing schemes allow people to share vehicles for some journeys. The benefits of car sharing include:

improved air quality and fewer carbon emissions due to reduced traffic
reduced travel costs for each person
less congestion and shorter journeys due to fewer cars being on the road
an increased chance of finding a parking space, because fewer cars means less competition for spaces
increased personal security if your car share means you walk to and from the car with somebody else

Finding or creating a car sharing scheme

There are a range of schemes available:

organised schemes available to everyone and operating over the internet
schemes arranged by organisations or businesses for their employees
less formal arrangements between family, friends and colleagues

Check your local council website for organised schemes in your area. Alternatively, Carplus - a charity that promotes responsible car use - lists local schemes.

Car clubs

Car clubs give people access to a car for essential journeys without the need to own one.

Belonging to a club allows you to hire a vehicle which is parked in a reserved parking space, close to homes or workplaces. Vehicles can be used and paid for on an hourly, daily or weekly basis.

Using a car club can be less expensive and less hassle than owning your own car. You don't have to buy a vehicle or pay for expenses like maintenance, an MOT or car tax, and the system is usually simple:

a car is booked through a central office using the telephone or internet
cars can be hired 24 hours a day for as little as an hour at a time
cars are left in parking bays close to homes or workplaces
keys are either kept at a nearby safe, or in the car, which is accessed using a smart card
drivers usually pay a monthly or yearly fee, and are billed for hours hired and miles driven
servicing and maintenance is taken care of for you

More about car clubs Opens new window

Car sharing lanes

Car sharing lanes are designed for vehicles with more than one occupant. They are being introduced in areas that experience high congestion levels, in order to encourage car sharing. Cameras are used to ensure that only cars containing two or more people use the lanes.

Leeds and Gloucestershire operate car sharing lanes. The UK's first motorway car share lane was opened in March 2008; it links the southbound M606 near Bradford to the eastbound M62 towards Leeds.