Carplus

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Parliamentary Friends of Car Clubs Group

Car clubs could soon have an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) to further their interests. In response to a call to MPs for an exploratory meeting in mid-September, Carplus received support from around 20 interested MPs representing all the main parties.

Those that attended the meeting heard from Ben Plowden (Transport for London) on the lessons of TfL’s successful support programme across London. MPs Tom Brake and Fabian Hamilton spoke in support of establishing a group to promote wider awareness of the practical benefits of car clubs and their contribution to key environmental and transport policy areas.

The meeting, chaired by Barry Sheerman MP, supported a plan for Carplus to proceed to organise a Car Clubs Parliamentary Group. Once formed, it would meet at least twice a year, and initially focus on car club’s role in integrated transport provision.

The Car Club Forum 12

Thursday 21st October, The Carriageworks, 3 Millennium Square, Leeds, LS2 3AD

pteg and Carplus are working in partnership to bring you the Car Club Forum 12. Key speakers include Ben Plowden (TFL) who will discuss lessons from the TFL's Car Clubs Strategy, and Daniela Bomatter, CEO at Mobility International Inc. (Switzerland) who will share her experience of employing car clubs to extend the reach of public transport.

The focus of this day event will be to explore the complementary relationship between car clubs and the public transport sector. The Forum will include presentations on recent developments in low carbon vehicles, smart media and integrated ticketing. Participants will also be the first invited to comment on a new draft Toolkit, which will demonstrate the role of car clubs in supporting key policy priorities for LTP 3.

Download the full programme.

Attendance is free for members of Carplus and for PTEs, Associate Members of pteg and their district colleagues. Click here to book your place.

Transform Scotland Report Published

The Transform Scotland Trust has published a report by Chas Ball, recently appointed Carplus Policy Director, which sets out how car clubs can become a mainstream option across Scotland. The report suggests that, if action is taken now to support the growth of car clubs in the large cities and stimulate a programme of activity in market towns and rural communities, car club membership in Scotland could expand from 3,500 today to 25,000 by 2014/15.

Click here to download the report.

Carplus AGM and the Car Club Forum 13

1pm- 4.30pm Tuesday 23rd November, Westminster City Council

The Carplus Annual General Meeting will take place between 1pm and 1.30pm, providing members with the opportunity to participate in a review of Carplus' achievements and developments over the past year.

Car Club Forum 13 will start at 13.45 with a workshop to look at the "2020 Vision for Car Clubs". ‘Where will the million car club members be?’ will be one of the issues for this workshop, led by Matthew Clark of Steer Davies Gleave and Chas Ball of Carplus. Both members and non-members are invited to attend the Forum.

Further details will be made available shortly.

For more information on Carplus membership, click here.

Visit Carplus at Eco2 Transport

Tuesday 16th – Thursday 18th November, Earl’s Court 2, London

Carplus is pleased to announce its support for Eco2 Transport, 'the first significant national business event focussed on increasing sustainability in the transport of goods and the mobility of people'. On Thursday 18th Chas Ball, will present 'Car Clubs for Employers' and 'Car Clubs as the Best Low Cost Option to Cut Carbon'. Carplus will also have a stand presence throughout the event - so please come and see us!

Eco2 Transport is both a conference of over 120 speakers / panellists and an exhibition of more than 100 low carbon solutions providers. The event has been built on providing act now solutions to accelerate the adoption of more sustainable transport choices, while also highlighting the cost efficiencies such measures can bring to an organisation.

Visit Eco2 Transport for more information and to register for your FREE tickets.

Capital Bike Sharing Schemes

This Summer saw the launch of the Barclays Cycle Hire in London, which has made 5,000 bicycles available in central London. The bikes can be picked up for small access and usage fees and returned to any of the 315 bicycle docking stations in the city.

In Wales, the Cardiff Bike Scheme is run by OYBikes Ltd as part of Keep Cardiff Moving. It offers residents and visitors quick and easy access to 70 bikes in the city and bay area. The bikes can be picked up and returned to any of the ten multi-lingual bike rental stations.

Commonwheels receive Social Enterprise Mark

Commonwheels have recently been awarded the Social Enterprise Mark, in recognition of their focus on ‘trading for people and planet’. Commonwheels are one of the first social enterprises to receive the mark since its national role out.

Commonwheels launch in Lewes

Commonwheels have recently launched a new operation in Lewes, East Sussex in partnership with Lewes District Council. The car club will provide pool car access to staff of the local authority in addition to the car club offer to the public.

Glasgow Car Club has Launched!

After successfully winning the tender to operate Glasgow’s official on-street car club, City Car Club has launched. Many Glaswegians have already taken advantage of a discounted pre-launch membership offer and now have access to 9 City Cars located in the West End. (full details).

Streetcar has recently expanded its Edinburgh operation to Edinburgh airport. It also has a presence in Glasgow, using a number of off-street locations.

City Car Club adds Toyota Prius to fleet

City Car Club is delighted to announce that it has begun to roll out a large number of brand new, latest generation Toyota Prius hybrid cars right across its UK fleet. These ultra-low emitting cars will make up an increasing part of the fleet and are already available to book in several cities.