Car Sharing
Car sharing (sometimes known as car-pooling or ride sharing) is when people share a car journey to the same destination. It can be a particularly effective option for commutes and the school run when people are travelling to the same destination at the same time on a regular basis.
Why car share?
Car sharing across the country increased by 5% last year (Liftshare 2023) with more and more people recognising the potential benefits:
- Financial savings
With the average cost of car ownership in the UK reaching over £1,500 a year, car sharing presents substantial money-saving opportunities by reducing expenses on fuel and parking. On average, members of the national car sharing scheme, Liftshare, save £1,000 each year. - Reduces congestion
According to the Department for Transport, 77% of people in the East of England drove to work in 2023. Reducing the number of cars on the road when public transport isn’t available could make getting around our area easier for everyone. - Positive environmental impact
Reducing the number of vehicles on our roads helps improve local air quality by reducing emissions. It also has a big impact on our carbon footprint. Liftshare suggests that a 1% increase in vehicle occupancy annually from 2022-2030 would remove 1.25 million cars from our roads and save 1.25 mega tonnes of carbon. - Social impact
Car sharing offers an effective way to reduce the stress of driving and create a more social commute to work or school. - Less pressure on parking
Finding somewhere to park on the street or in a public car park can sometimes be stressful and expensive.
How to start car sharing
- Informal car sharing
Informal car sharing is arranged directly with friends, neighbours, colleagues or families who share a similar route. You could agree to car share on particular days or leave it as a more flexible arrangement. You could alternate who drives or split the costs of one person driving. - Company managed schemes
Employers can encourage car-sharing by setting up a formal closed lift sharing scheme via Liftshare, Jambusters or Kinto. Alternatively, they can opt for a more informal approach by highlighting the benefits of car sharing to employees and encouraging them to opt-in to the scheme. People who live near each other, travel past each other’s homes on their commute and work similar days and hours can then be paired up. - School managed schemes
Schools can set up car sharing schemes too. A survey can be used to highlight the benefits of car sharing and to find out which parents are interested in joining the scheme. - Car sharing apps
There are also national car sharing schemes such as Liftshare and BlaBlaCar which enable their members to get in touch with other scheme members who share a similar route.
