We are currently working on a project to try and identify the potential for a local car club, which could be run on a not-for-profit basis and managed by the community.
A car club allows users to access a vehicle without owning one and can offer a flexible, cost effective alternative to private car ownership or leasing. As car club vehicles are often newer, they tend to have lower emissions than private cars, which helps to reduce carbon emissions and air pollution.
Car clubs can help deliver against wide-ranging objectives which include:
- offering a sustainable transport option that can fill gaps in public transport provision
- achieving net zero targets
- improving air quality
- increasing vehicle occupancy rates
- reducing parking pressures and congestion
Car clubs are becoming increasingly popular with a total of 752,560 UK car club members in 2022, an increase of 35% since 2020. To accommodate this growth, the number of total car clubs has also increased. There are now 5,926 car club vehicles operating across the UK.
In the case of a Glendale car club, there would also be a bank of volunteer drivers so non-drivers don’t lose out. We envisage the cars being used to help people get to hospital appointments or do some shopping.
A car club in Glendale would provide access to usable transport where other options are limited and can ensure even the most vulnerable community members benefit from transport when they need it.
We hope that by developing a car club we can further reduce vehicle emissions and make Glendale an even better place to live.
A survey has been developed on behalf of the Glendale Gateway Trust to assess the interest and desire for a local car club.
The responses to the survey will help to build a picture of the need for a community car club in Glendale. Further updates will follow in the coming months