Caring to share to tackle traffic
Motorists are being urged to save money, save time and reduce rush hour congestion by simply pairing up and sharing their journey.
Next Wednesday, October 18, is Regional Car Share Day and Warwickshire County Council is hoping to encourage as many people as possible to give car sharing a go, dramatically reducing the number of cars on the roads.
Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said that people who share should feel proud that they not only save money and time, but also significantly reduce congestion on Warwickshire roads.
The UK has one of the worst congestion problems, longest commuting times, and the highest car ownership in Europe. Warwickshire is certainly feeling the effects of too many cars at peak times. But why don’t more people try to share when up to 80% of cars travelling to work in the rush hour traffic have only a driver? If all those cars were to take 1 passenger, it would halve the amount of cars around us.
Hannah Collett, Warwickshire County Council’s Sustainable Travel Officer, said: “Many people feel the only way to travel sustainably is to go by bus, or to walk or cycle. But for many people car sharing is a great alternative that most people can do and a lot of people find it enjoyable as there is someone to talk to on your journey to work and also helps to reduce stress levels!”
There are so many benefits to car sharing, including:
· A reduced demand on parking
· Reduced traffic congestion
· Reduction in the cost of travelling by car
· Helping reduce incidence of asthma, bronchitis and emphysema and other lung related health problems.
Pollution is one of the biggest concerns for people with asthma in the UK and 70% of people with asthma say that traffic pollution makes their asthma worse.
Cllr Heatley added: “Warwickshire County Council is committed to promoting car sharing and all forms of sustainable travel because they are vital for reducing environmental damage.
“I would really like to see as many people as possible start car sharing once a week. By car sharing, we help improve the current situation for all road users by reducing congestion and the volume of traffic on our roads without disrupting our travel habits.”