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The benefits of car sharing

Car sharing schemes allow people to share vehicles for some journeys. The benefits of car sharing include:

* improved air quality and fewer carbon emissions due to reduced traffic
* reduced travel costs for each person
* less congestion and shorter journeys due to fewer cars being on the road
* an increased chance of finding a parking space, because fewer cars means less competition for spaces
* increased personal security if your car share means you walk to and from the car with somebody else

Car clubs

Car clubs give people access to a car for essential journeys without the need to own one.

Belonging to a club allows you to hire a vehicle which is parked in a reserved parking space, close to homes or workplaces. Vehicles can be used and paid for on an hourly, daily or weekly basis.

Using a car club can be less expensive and less hassle than owning your own car. You don't have to buy a vehicle or pay for expenses like maintenance, an MOT or car tax, and the system is usually simple:

* a car is booked through a central office using the telephone or internet
* cars can be hired 24 hours a day for as little as an hour at a time
* cars are left in parking bays close to homes or workplaces
* keys are either kept at a nearby safe, or in the car, which is accessed using a smart card
* drivers usually pay a monthly or yearly fee, and are billed for hours hired and miles driven
* servicing and maintenance is taken care of for you