The number of active car club members in the UK almost doubled last year – with more than 116,000 privately-owned vehicles being removed from roads as a result, a new study has revealed.
Research by the national shared transport charity Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK) found the UK’s active membership – those who joined, renewed, or used a car club vehicle in the past 12 months – reached 450,231 in 2021, a rise of 96%. Overall membership of car clubs in the UK grew by 24% in 2021 to 784,122.
CoMoUK’s Car Club Annual Report 2021 estimated that 20 private cars were replaced by each vehicle in the UK’s 5,806-strong car club fleet last year, and that more than 116,000 have been taken off the road by currently active members.
Car clubs are designed to provide members with convenient access to cleaner vehicles without the cost and hassle of ownership, for example, through tax, MOT, servicing, repairs and depreciation of value. With all vehicles in the UK’s car club fleet under five years old.
CoMoUK also stressed that emissions from car club vehicles are 27% lower than the average UK car, and 12% of car club vehicles in the UK are electric – compared to only 1% of privately-owned cars.
Richard Dilks, chief executive of CoMoUK, said: “Car clubs replace privately-owned cars with fewer and more efficient vehicles, which are easy and affordable to access 24/7 while boosting use of public transport and walking and cycling.
“Motorists can save thousands of pounds a year by not owning a car, and our survey shows this also results in them engaging in a more active lifestyle through walking and cycling.
“These schemes, along with other shared transport modes like bike and ride sharing, have the potential to dramatically reduce congestion on our roads and carbon emissions.
“If the UK is to meet its climate change targets, we must harness the full potential of car clubs and shared transport.”
Furthermore, a recent survey of car club members in the UK showed 73% of respondents agreed that membership had saved them money compared to owning a car, and 27% said saving money was a reason for joining.
It also found that 61% used public transport and 37% cycled at least once a week, while 16% of members said they would have bought a car if they had not joined the car club.
Overall membership of car clubs in the UK grew by 24% in 2021 to 784,122. With all vehicles in the UK’s car club fleet are under five years old.
Emissions from car club vehicles are 27% lower than the average UK car, and 12% of car club vehicles in the UK are electric – compared to only 1% of privately-owned cars.
