Liverpool’s innovative Car Club is celebrating a highly successful first year.
The pay-as-you drive scheme, launched in October 2013, has seen businesses and residents using the service, helping to reduce congestion and improving air quality.
The scheme, operated by City Car Club, currently has more than 200 members using seven low-emission vehicles across the city centre. Over the past year the vehicles have made more than 1800 trips and in the process have saved 2.9 tonnes of CO2.
City Car Club was selected by Liverpool City Council after the success of similar projects in 16 other cities across the UK.
Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, cabinet member for regeneration and transport, said: “City Car Club is a great scheme; it gives businesses, residents the convenience of owning a vehicle without the hassle and expense with particular benefits to young drivers. It also goes a long way to help reduce levels of pollution on our streets so everyone has a little more breathing space. The past 12 months in which the car club has operated has been a real success and we’ve got every confidence that it will go from strength to strength.”
And the car club continues to grow with more residents and businesses using the service every month. One such business is IBI Group – one of the largest architecture firms in the world and the name behind projects such as the Bio-Innovation Centre, Kings Waterfront and Royal Liverpool Hospital. The firm joined City Car Club soon after it launched last year and as regular users are grateful for its presence in the city.
Danny Marsh, Studio Associate at IBI Group, said;: “City Car Club has completely changed the way we approach business travel. It’s a really convenient and cost-effective way of making short journeys in and around the city region. We have several cars in close proximity to the office and we regularly use them to meet clients and make site visits. The car club has allowed us to be much more flexible and professional, plus we’ve been able to make significant financial savings in terms of business mileage.”
The success of the scheme is further buoyed by the fact that it is due to expand in the coming months. November will mark the arrival of a new bay and vehicle at Duke Street. The new car club site will boast City Car Club’s most popular vehicle, the Toyota Yaris Hybrid, which will be available for all City Car Club members to use.
If you are interested in joining Liverpool’s car club scheme or would like more information on City Car Club head to www.citycarclub.co.uk.
Fact file:
• City Car Club operates in 17 cities across the UK including Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, London and Edinburgh.
• The City Car Club fleet has more than 810 vehicles, each with their own designated bays located close to where you live, work or study.
• City Car Club offer a range of vehicles from small city cars, to estate cars, 7 seat vehicles and even vans.
• There are currently more than 30,000 City Car Club members throughout the UK.
• Standard annual membership costs just £60 and includes access to all vehicles across the country, comprehensive insurance, tax, MOTs, servicing, cleaning, fuel, breakdown cover, plus 24/7 online booking and member support.
• City Car Club also have additional membership plans which include:
o Enhance (£20/month) – members who regularly use the service can benefit from reduced hourly and daily rental rates.
o Protect (£15/month) – members can reduce their insurance excess from £750 to just £100.
o Under 22 (£6/month) – Young drivers between 19 and 22 can now use the service.
o Van only (£20/annually) – For those who just want to utilise City Car Club’s fleet of vans.
o More information can be found at http://www.citycarclub.co.uk/about/what-does-it-cost/personal
• Annual memberships for businesses with 1-4 drivers cost £25 per driver and just £10 per driver for those with more than 4 drivers. More information can be found at http://www.citycarclub.co.uk/about/what-does-it-cost/business
• Rental rates start from just £4.95 an hour and £25 a day (special rate vehicles). Different hourly and daily rental rates do apply when factoring in the above membership plans.
• Vehicles are available 24/7/365 and members can book the vehicles by phone, online or using the intuitive iPhone app for as little as 30 minutes or as long as they want.
• City Car Club vehicles in Liverpool are based at:
o Old Haymarket Street (two cars)
o Victoria Street Car Park (one car)
o Moorfields (two cars)
o Brook Street (one car)
o Old Hall Street (one car)
o Duke Street (Due November)
o More information can be found at http://www.citycarclub.co.uk/locations/liverpool-car-hire
• A full list of City Car Club vehicles nationwide can be found at http://www.citycarclub.co.uk/locations