East Oxford's Car Club: Off to a Great Start
In a unique collaboration local resident group Oxcar and national organisation Commonwheels launched a not-for-profit car club in East Oxford at the end of last year. In just 6 weeks of operation the club has had over 70 membership applications and residents' groups in Headington, Wolvercote and Iffley are investigating expansion into their communities.
The groups hope to cut pollution and the number of cars on the streets by providing shared access to low-emission vehicles. All surplus income generated will be ploughed back in to the Oxford scheme.
The Details
The East Oxford club has a fleet of 6 cars at present: 2 new high fuel efficiency VW Polo Blue Motions and 4 resident donated 'recycled' cars (one of which can run on recycled biofuel).
They're all parked in marked bays in local streets within a few minutes walk of thousands of residents.
Members can book the cars, online or over the phone, for periods upwards of half an hour and are charged (by monthly invoice) according to the length of booking (£2.50 or £4 an hour) and distance travelled (first 10 miles free, next 100 miles at 25p per mile, 19p per mile thereafter). Rates include fuel.
Members each get a smart card to open the car when they have a booking, so there's none of the hassle of collecting a conventional hire car.
As demand increases so too will the fleet, ensuring cars continue to be available for last minute bookings.
The Benefits
Car clubs offer access to cars without the financial hurdles of ownership, improving mobility across the community. By offering an alternative to private ownership they can also reduce congestion: established clubs in the UK are seeing each car club car replace between 5 and 11 privately owned cars, and more in London (www.carplus.org.uk).
Significantly too, car clubs are an important tool in sustainable transport plans. They improve the environmental footprint of a community's travel by encouraging and enabling a shift in behaviour to more responsible car use: members drive fewer miles in more fuel efficient cars, use public transport, walk and cycle more than car owners (www.carplus.org.uk).
Contact Details and Further Information:
If you'd like Commonwheels in your area or would like to join the mailing list for the Oxford scheme email info@commonwheels.org.uk
Local resident contact - Abi Johnson - abi@abijohnson.com
See www.carplus.org.uk for more information on car clubs.
