CarClub

Change Your World

Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity campaigning for a better cycling and walking environment, is launching a new venture to encourage people to change the world one journey at a time.

The Change Your World campaign will run from 30th June to 5th July, and is asking people to pledge to change just one journey during the first week of July - instead of driving, take the bus, walk or get on your bike.

The campaign demonstrates how, in combination, small individual changes in travel behaviour really do add up and make a big difference, resulting in less congestion, less pollution and less C02 emissions and if you choose to walk or cycle instead, improved health and quality of life.

Visit the website at www.changeyourworld.org.uk and see how you can make a difference.

TfL Pushes Car Club Growth

Transport for London has announced funding for 2008/9, to support the growth and development of car clubs across the capital.

Boroughs receiving support to convert on-street parking bays to car club only bays, for the first time, include Barking & Dagenham, Croydon, Hillingon, Lewisham, Waltham Forest and Westminster. This will mean more cars, in more accessible places. Sutton and Richmond-upon-Thames are both due to receive financial support as part of the Sustainable Towns initiative.

So wherever you are in London, you can expect that in the not-too-distant future, there will be a car club vehicle waiting for you just around the corner!

New Survey Results

Research just released reveals that Londoners generally underestimate how much they are forking out on maintaining their motors every year.  Motorists questioned estimate that they spend an average of £1,617 on car maintenance every year whereas the latest RAC figures suggest running a car can cost around £5000 a year. 

Despite the fact that London’s car owners are investing thousands keeping their cars on the road:

• Over half of them spend less than three and a half hours driving a week
• And similarly more than half quote difficulty in finding a parking space as a reason for not wanting to own a car.

The research also reveals that it’s not just cost but carbon that is a frustration for the capital’s motorists.  Findings show that 43 per cent of car owners are frustrated about the environmental damage their car may cause. With evidence showing that a car club car replaces up to 20 private cars on the road in London, the opportunity to minimise their carbon footprint is seen as a major attraction of car clubs for the capital’s motorists.

A Sign of the Times

Car clubs have a new logo. To make it easier to find where cars are parked on the streets the designated bays will be given a makeover with the logo added to special parking signs across London and the UK. Wherever you see this logo you know you will be able to pick up a vehicle for your trip.