CAR CLUBS - the car usage model of the future?

1. CAR CLUBS- the car usage model of the future? Phillip Burke Travel Plan Coordinator Bracknell Forest Council

2. CAR CLUBS • Traditional Car Clubs and how they operate • Emerging Car Clubs and how they differ • Car Club membership in the UK • The Pros and Cons of Car Club membership • The effects of Car Clubs on other modes of transport • Car Clubs and electric vehicles • The prospects for a Car Club in Bracknell Forest • The future for Car Clubs and Car Ownership • Questions

3. TRADITIONAL CAR CLUBS AND HOW THEY OPERATE • Commercial operator with a fleet of cars that can be pre-booked for return journeys • Car Club members generally pay a joining fee, and then pay-as-you-go based on length of time of use, and/or miles travelled • Transactions occur remotely via internet or mobile phone based systems • Cars are located in both on and off-street locations, mainly in large cities • Users can often choose from a range of vehicles to suit the journey purpose • Some not for profit social enterprises – such as Commonwheels – have established smaller scale car clubs, these offer different funding and set-up models

4. EMERGING CAR CLUBS AND HOW THEY DIFFER • Peer to Peer car clubs; rent your own car out or drive someone else’s • Operators act as facilitators • Cars can be more local, but there is generally a need to meet with the owner to get the keys • One Way car clubs emerging in Europe, Birmingham trialing the first UK scheme Car2Go • Users don’t need to pre-book, they pick up the nearest car and can leave it anywhere within a geographical area (like the ‘Boris Bikes’ scheme) • Harder for operators to manage due to uncertainty in predicting where cars will be • May not always have a car available when/where you want one

5. THE PROS AND CONS OF CAR CLUBS - for members • The fixed costs of owning a car are removed – tax, insurance, etc • No ongoing costs – MOT, maintenance, depreciation • CarPlus have calculated a motorist doing <6,000 miles a year could save up to £3,500 per year by joining a car club • A variety of models can be used to suit journey type – eg vans for tip runs, small car for short trips • Usage costs are higher than the cost of petrol • User has less control of where, when and for how long the car is used • Less spontaneity • Less personalisation of car

6. THE PROS AND CONS OF CAR CLUBS - environmental impacts • Car club cars are generally more modern and more fuel efficient than the average car • CityCar Club calculate that its cars emit 37% less CO2 than those they replace • Car club members generally drive fewer miles than the average car owner • CarPlus estimate that one car club car replaces 24.5 private cars • One-Way car clubs could rival more sustainable travel modes such as bus, bike, or walking • Car clubs offer wider access to car use

7. CAR CLUB MEMBERSHIP IN THE UK • As of 1 January 2012, about 160,000 people were members of car clubs in the UK (as recently as 2005 this figure was just 5,000) • These members are sharing just over 3,000 cars • Commercial car clubs in Bath, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Edinburgh, Cambridge, Cardiff, Glasgow, Huddersfield, Leeds, London, Manchester, Southampton, York • Around 85% of members live in London • Membership rates are increasing and one estimate suggests there could be 2 million member in 10 years time

8. THE EFFECTS OF CAR CLUBS ON OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORT • Traditional car clubs are generally believed to be complementary to public transport, and could even make public transport a more viable option for some journeys • One-way car clubs more likely to take journeys away from public transport, but could also facilitate more public transport journeys in the first place • Future models could see integrated ticketing options – eg a season ticket for rail that comes with car club membership

9. CAR CLUBS AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES • Many Car Club operators are now adding electric vehicles to their fleets • There are challenges in terms of the demand of Car Club usage on vehicle batteries • Electric cars have had a limited take up among private motorists, in part due to high purchase prices • Car Club model is a more viable way to introduce electric vehicles at the moment • However, if electric vehicle take up becomes more widespread among private users, this could affect car club membership

10. THE PROSPECTS FOR CAR CLUBS IN BRACKNELL FOREST • Commercial operators have so far rejected Bracknell Forest as a viable market • Smaller Car Club models, linked to new development, or business areas, is more likely

11. THE FUTURE FOR CAR CLUBS AND CAR OWNERSHIP • Membership of car clubs is predicted to continue increasing at double digit rates • The two biggest developments are the growth of peer-to-peer car clubs and one-way car clubs • Car manufacturer’s producing cars specifically to suit the demands of the car club market (eg Ford and GM), and some car manufacturers (Daimler and Peugeot) setting up car clubs • On-street parking space will be at a premium • Integration with other transport modes – eg integrated rail/car club ticketing, dedicated station parking • Allocation of road space a possibility – eg Olympics or school run

12. CAR CLUBS Questions ?