British households can save more than £2,000 a year by switching to a car club membership, according to new research from charity Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK).
Some 73% of car club users saved money versus those with private vehicles, according to the research.
Overall membership of car clubs in the UK reportedly grew by 24% in 2021 to 784,122 in total, with a reduction of 116,000 privately-owned vehicles.
The new study says that the average annual cost of owning a new Ford Fiesta on a lease is £3,801, including fuel, insurance and tax. Operating the same vehicle through a car club membership should cost only £1,678.60, a saving of £2,122.40.
The report also claims that owning an older car outright costs an average of £2,524 per annum, whereas a car club membership offers a saving of £845.40.
CoMoUK’s research follows announcement of the charity’s new Travel Better Tool, which is designed to monitor users’ spending, carbon output and calorie intake, and the potential benefits of switching to more active or sustainable choices.
The tool, which is funded by Transport Scotland, asks the user questions throughout the week about distance travelled, the mode of transport used and vehicle occupancy. It then makes suggestions based on lifestyle suitability.
Rachael Murphy, CoMoUK Scotland director, said: “Shared transport like car clubs, ride share and bike hire schemes help to reduce the overall number of vehicles on the road network, and encourage active travel like walking, wheeling and cycling.
“Our new Travel Better Tool demonstrates how people can travel more sustainably, and highlights the benefits to their health, as well as showing how they can reduce their carbon footprint and save money.
“In just a few simple steps, users can find out where their nearest bike share schemes are and learn more about using car clubs and ride share.
“Domestic transport also remains the largest source of emissions in the UK, and decarbonising road transport is crucial to meeting climate crisis targets.”
