Labour has been urged to introduce more car clubs across the UK, which could significantly help reduce the number of polluting petrol and diesel vehicles.
It comes after analysis found that space freed up by car club schemes was almost equivalent to the size of London's Hyde Park.
Research shows that drivers who use car clubs have sold or deferred purchasing nearly 120,000 vehicles since joining the schemes.
Based on typical parking space sizes, these private cars would have occupied an area exceeding 138 hectares, compared to Hyde Park's 142 hectares.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailingmotoring@gbnews.uk
Car clubs have been found to help replace roughly 32 private cars on UK roads
GETTY
UK car clubs open to the public had 307,437 active users last year, representing a one per cent increase from 2023, with experts now urging the Government to roll out more nationwide.
The schemes operate on a membership basis with annual or monthly fees, plus per-mile and per-hour charges for using cars on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Richard Dilks, chief executive of Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK), said: "Car clubs provide hassle-free, inclusive and affordable access to cars for journeys when they are really needed, so it is no wonder that they are proving more and more popular."
He added that the research showed that car clubs "replace private cars with a much smaller number of more efficiently-used vehicles."
Earlier this year, a London Assembly report criticised Transport for London's "patchwork approach" to car clubs and called for an urgent revision of its strategy.
The Transport Committee investigation found that TfL was "putting the handbrake" on car clubs despite evidence showing they can save users around £3,000 per year compared to private car ownership.
Chair Elly Baker AM said TfL's approach was "overlooking these benefits and not providing the support that the industry needs to grow". The report revealed that TfL policies have left councils to create their own strategies, leading to inconsistent provision across the capital.
This fragmented approach has caused some operators to withdraw from London, the report warned. The committee recommended that the Mayor produce a pan-London action plan on car clubs within the next year.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Car clubs could help drivers give up their petrol and diesel carsGETTYCar clubs offer significant environmental and economic benefits, with vehicles often being newer and producing lower emissions than private cars. Co-Wheels told the London Assembly that 35 per cent of car club vehicles are electric compared to just four per cent of total cars in the UK.
The schemes can replace up to 32 private cars when factoring in deferred purchases, with Dilks noting that "as well as improving air quality and cutting traffic congestion, the reduced need for private car storage frees up an astonishing amount of space which can be used for other purposes".
In London specifically, this freed space "could be used to provide homes for approximately 6,000 people". Car clubs also encourage more active travel, with members more likely to walk or cycle short journeys than private car owners.
Despite these proven benefits, London's car club membership has fallen by 22 per cent between 2021 and 2023, with 70,000 fewer members and 600 fewer vehicles.
Car clubs offer drivers access to vehicles more easily and at a cheaper rate
HACKNEY COUNCILDilks warned that "much more could be done to encourage car clubs to thrive" and called on Governments and local authorities to "go further to foster environments where car clubs can grow".
He told the London Assembly that the current provision of car clubs in London is "not at the level it could be", with more support needed for the UK to reap the benefits.
The CoMoUK chief executive noted that London is a "difficult market to operate in" and "has seen a reduction in the number of operators it has".
At present, only four car club operators run services in London, which include Zipcar, Co-Wheels, Enterprise and Hiyacar.
Most Read
