By Carl Pittam, Development Director, Ubeeqo a brand of Europcar Mobility Group
With space at such a premium in towns and cities, the pressure is on for housebuilders to provide high quality, sustainable homes that not only meet the changing lifestyles of residents, but also adhere to stringent planning regulations. Road transport has been identified as a major contributor to urban pollution and with the UK as a whole aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050, housebuilders are expected to ensure that new developments do not add to local pollution and traffic congestion levels.
Indeed, the requirements of Section 106 now mean that planning applications will most likely need to include sustainable transport solutions if they are to be successful. Integrating car clubs into new developments could be the answer.
According to the recent CoMoUK Annual Report there are now more than 230,000 active car club users across the UK, making regular use of more than 6,000 vehicles. And with an average age of just 18 months, 99% of car club vehicles are Low Emission Zone and Clean Air compliant.
Usership vs ownership
But the advantages of integrating a car club into a development go further than simply addressing planning requirements. Individuals are now actively making good environmental choices across all parts of their life. Offering access to a car club as part of a new housing development could, therefore, actually enhance sales by adding real value to the proposition. Giving up vehicle ownership, members of car clubs are doing their bit to protect the environment. The CoMoUK Annual report highlights that car clubs help to reduce private ownership, taking on average 18.5 cars off the road for every car club vehicle.
There’s a cost benefit for residents too. Only paying for a vehicle when it is needed means drivers can make significant savings over ownership. And they don’t have to worry about running costs and ‘at home’ parking.
Ubeeqo is a dedicated car sharing service with a solid history of working with housing developers and builders. Our service offers local residents and businesses a transport solution that helps to reduce the traffic congestion and parking pressures and so contribute to the improvement in local air quality.