Car sharing explained

Lily Barclay

Want to cut your carbon emissions without giving up the convenience of your car? Joining a car club is a big step towards going green

• Q:

  What is car sharing?

• A:

  There are two main kinds of car sharing:
  
  Lift sharing simply means alternating driving responsibility and petrol costs with one or more people. You might do this, for example, with your commute to work.
  
  Car sharing can also mean sharing the ownership of a car with someone else, such as friends or neighbours. Here, you're not just sharing a ride, but actually splitting the use of a single vehicle.
  
  One of car sharing’s main attractions is that you can keep the convenience of car travel, but reduce expenses and emissions. You’ll even be chauffeur driven for half of your journeys.
  

• Q:

  Who can get involved?

• A:

  Car sharing isn’t just for commuters; it can be used for any journey whether taking the children to school or travelling to university. And don’t let doing shift work put you off - there are nearly as many workers wanting to get to work outside the typical 9-5 hours.
  
  You can even arrange it so you travel with one driver going to work and another on the way back. And it’s not all city based either; Village Car Share targets people who live in rural communities where there is little or no public transport.
  

• Q:

  How does it work?

• A:

  General car sharing websites are fairly similar to online dating agencies. You simply enter your details and they match you up with your perfect partner(s), although it’s strictly based on your journey and location details. That said, some websites profile potential sharers to help you find someone suitable, so early morning chit chat can be minimised if required.
  
  Depending on the popularity of your journey you should be supplied with a variety of partners, in which case you can choose the person that best suits you. After this it will be down to you to contact your chosen sharer, and arrange the terms and conditions. You might want to share the driving fifty-fifty, or come to a cash agreement, but either way both sharers should benefit equally.
  
  Lots of businesses will also have their own internal car sharing schemes - ask your employer how to get involved.
  

• Q:

  What are the environmental benefits?

• A:

  Each year passenger cars release 69 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere - that’s 12.5% of the UK’s total emissions. Ten  million of these cars travel every day in rush hour with just one occupant: the driver.
  
  The Environment Agency estimated that sharing your average commute (18 miles), could save up to 700kg of CO2 a year - that’s almost twice as much CO2 as recycling. The more people you share with (assuming they were driving before) the more emissions there are to be cut. In a more global context, fewer cars on the road means that fuel supplies will last longer.
  
  The UK’s largest car sharing website currently has more than 265,000 members. More than a third of all searches result in a member being contacted.
  

• Q:

  How much money can I save?

• A:

  According to the Energy Saving Trust, car sharing could save the average commuter approximately £350 a year compared to driving alone. Transport for London estimates that Londoners could save at least twice as much.
  
  Obviously, the more passengers you have travelling with you the cheaper your travel expenses will be. But it’s not just fuel costs you can make a saving on. Parking fees, road tolls and wear and tear on your car should all be significantly lowered.
  
  Sharing your daily commute with just one other person will also cut your mileage in half, which can increase the value of your car, as well as lowering insurance costs.
  

• Q:

  Is car sharing safe?

• A:

  For added security most car sharing websites will verify members' details before they are allowed to make travel share arrangements. You should also be able to filter car sharers to demand, so women concerned about safety can opt for female-only partners.
  
  But if you’re meeting a stranger through a car sharing website, you will be responsible for your own personal safety. Inform a friend or family member of whom you are travelling with, as well as details such as car registration numbers and expected arrival times.
  
  Showing each other ID, such as passports or a driving licence, means you can both make sure that you’re travelling with the right person. And if you have any doubts about your travelling partner, just say you’ve changed your mind - you’re under no obligation to travel together.