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ZIPCAR: Shared solution?
Date: 15 August 2013
Car-sharing company Zipcar announced late last month that it had signed an agreement with Croydon Council, stationing 23 vehicles at the council's offices for staff use during the working week and public use outside of office hours.
It's the biggest deal of its kind in the UK yet, and follows a pilot scheme where Zipcar claimed the council saved more than £500,000 annually on transport cost by switching from workers using their own cars to car sharing, where the 400 registered staff can book vehicles by the hour according to organisational need.
"It dawned on them the cars were only being used for 40 hours per week, and [they asked] if they needed to own them when they are only used for that time," explained Zipcar for Business boss Andrew Edgar. "It reduces the amount of spaces needed, and the council has moved them to pay-and-display, so they're generating revenue rather than being staff parking."
"I can see great potential for it, it's a genuinely sensible thing to do," he continued. "It helps residents, as people living in the area now get 23 extra vehicles [for use out of hours], so they are more likely to get a vehicle when they need one, and it reduces the number of cars being used."
