Warwickshire News Mine

More than 9,000 households and 1,000 businesses received a questionnaire asking for their feedback, in order to gauge interest in a car club. If positive, the residents’ views would help determine the likely shape of the initiative that could serve both towns.

And the questionnaire saw 70 per cent of respondents saying they would, or would possibly, join a local car club. The locations they suggested were Warwick town centre and Leamington Railway Station.

When asked about cars the respondents said that a small hatchback car would meet most of their needs.

The charity – Carplus – is the organisation that promotes the clubs and sustainable transport across the UK. They have played a part in helping the idea of car clubs grow to the extent that almost 80,000 people in the UK have now joined them.

A car club is a means of having access to a car without the need to own a vehicle. Cars are parked in several locations in a town and can be booked for as little as half an hour, depending on your needs. Cars are reserved on the internet or over the telephone and accessed using smartcard technology.

Simon Parker – Development Manager at Carplus said: “These are very encouraging results and may make Warwick District Car Club an attractive proposition for a car club operator.

“They are a great way of using the benefits of cars without the hassle and cost of owning one. Membership is far less expensive than the private car with members across the UK reporting costs savings of 50 per cent or more.

“Carplus is working closely with Warwickshire County Council to see if the concept will work in the county. We are confident that this part of the Midlands will have a successful car club to help cut peoples mobility costs and have a positive impact on the environment. If so it could prove of benefit to small businesses and employers in the location too.

“Once car clubs are established, the environmental benefits are enormous, as there will be fewer cars on the road - which will lead to less pollution, less congestion and fewer parking problems. Operators of clubs in cities across the UK report that for every car club vehicle created, 23 existing cars are taken off the road, and these are often older more polluting vehicles.”

Cllr Alan Cockburn, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: "We are all looking at ways to save money at the moment, and this scheme appears to do just that, while also helping to protect the environment by encouraging responsible car use.

“Evidence indicates that the scheme often results in older, more polluting cars being taken off the road, which can only be a benefit to the environment as well as removing the burden of ownership."

As part of the local questionnaire, one lucky respondent was offered the chance to win a TomTom satellite navigation system. The winner is Greg Saunders from Leamington, who said: “I think the Car Club is a brilliant idea. I hold my hands up at the moment to being a two car family. We cycle when we can, and could in the future look at dropping to one car if the Car Club scheme went ahead, particularly if the Leamington Train Station location was chosen.”

Further information about car clubs and Carplus can be found at http://www.carplus.org.uk or for more information on travel in Warwickshire see http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/travel

Link to WCC