A national car club based in the North East is aiming to increase its environmental impact by helping individuals and businesses reduce car use.
Co Wheels, which based in Newcastle, is on a mission to grow its membership and bring down the number of privately owned vehicles over the next 12 months, through the introduction of a number of sustainability and community driven initiatives.
The social enterprise works to improve more sustainable car use, by giving members access to shared cars.
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Members book cars through a location map on the Co Wheels app or website which shows where the nearest one can be found. They are emailed 15 minutes before the hire with the exact location of the car and keys aren’t needed because those signed up to Co Wheels are provided with a smartcard to access the car.
The company’s ambition to bring new members on board follows the latest survey data from CoMo海角视频 – the charity for the public benefit of shared cars, bikes, e‑scooters and rides – showing rapid adoption of car share schemes across the 海角视频.
The CoMo海角视频 Car Club Annual Report for Great Britain 2020 revealed there are more than 600,000 car club members in the 海角视频, who are making cost savings against car ownership as much as £1,000 in a year.
Richard Falconer, managing director of Co Wheels, said: “Co Wheels was one of the first car clubs in the 海角视频 back in 2008 and we have remained at the forefront of innovation in the sector ever since.
“We were set up to provide an environmentally friendly, socially just, community-based alternative to car ownership and it is these values which are going to propel the business forward in 2021.
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“Our growth will be achieved through engaging with our communities across the 海角视频 to understand their specific needs and provide transport solutions which work for the real people living and working in those areas.
“Alongside this we are looking to work with businesses, property developers and local authorities who share our principles and vision for a greener future for communities. We are actively pursuing wider mobility partnerships – from working with community, transport and environmental groups and councils, as well as other green transport providers such as e.bikes and e.scooters to provide more sustainable and joined up transport solutions.
“If we work together with other likeminded groups and individuals, trying to integrate apps, are smarter about collaboration on promotional initiatives then we are being more than just a car club, we add real community value.”
Studies have shown that every car club car takes 18.5 private cars off the road in the 海角视频, amounting to a reduction of almost 100,000 vehicles a year. As car club cars are generally newer and offer more electric and hybrid options, they also give off around 25% less CO2 emissions than an average private vehicle in the 海角视频.
Richard Dilks, chief executive of CoMo海角视频, added: “The 2020 CoMo海角视频 research shows that this set of interlocking virtuous circles – lowered emissions, decreased cars on the roads and more affordable and sustainable access to electric vehicles than purchase or lease - are what the future of transport emissions in Britain will need to look like if our national legal limit of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest, plus our forthcoming legal target of a 78% emissions cut from 1990 levels by 2035, are going to be met.”