Businesses not realising car club potential

Too many organisations have not recognised the potential joining a car club could bring, according to the shadow minister for transport.

Stephen Hammond MP believes car clubs can offer a low carbon choice for transport, combined with the potential for cost savings.

“This is important for the individual, but it is also important for companies,” explained Hammond at the launch of the Carplus manifesto ‘Car Clubs - A Cost Effective Route to a Low Carbon Britain’, in the Houses of Parliament. “However, far too many companies have not realised the potential they could bring.”

The Carplus annual survey shows that car clubs are continuing to grow in popularity, with more than 100,000 members spread across 46 locations in the UK opting for pay-as-you-go car rental for as little as half an hour.

The Leeds office of Arup, which signed up to a car club scheme, saved £12,000 in the first year by ditching its three pool cars.

Carplus, which is a national charity promoting car clubs, says that joining a car club can provide a range of benefits for business that include tackling grey fleet issues and providing a solution for the payments of mileage allowances.

Matthew Clark, principal consultant at Steer Davies Gleave, who was speaking at the Carplus annual conference in London, agrees.

“There is a lack of understanding of the potential use of car clubs for business,” explained Clark, who has been researching the growth potential of car clubs in Islington and Camden.

“Car clubs can offer a way of managing environmental impact and costs, with the moderate use of car clubs tending to be more cost effective than pool cars.” 

Thousands of UK companies are contravening their legislative responsibilities by failing to regulate employees using their own cars for work. Find out how to manage your company's so-called grey fleet.