Transcript Co-wheels system development

Extending the benefits of shared car
use to lower density and lower income
neighbourhoods (Outside of London!)
save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental
benefit
About Co-wheels
• Over 50 locations across UK
• Services we offer are:
• Car Clubs - PAYG
• Fleet Management Service
• E-bikes
• Social Enterprise
save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit
Traditional Characteristics
• Densely populated urban areas –
members per vehicle
• Extensive robust public transport
links
• Parking pressures
• Demographics
• State of the localised economy
• Levels of education etc.
• High burden of car ownership etc.
etc.
save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit
Business Model
• Business model gives us the flexibility
to innovate and challenge some of
these traditional characteristics and
extend the benefits wider:
“provide solutions to ensure that vehicles
are used in a smarter way to improve
access and social cohesion”
save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit
Pushing the boundaries:
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Flexible Pool cars
Small town & rural car clubs
Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
Visitor Model – public transport
integration
Franchise Community owned models
Social Cars - ‘Housing Associations’
Shared mini-buses – Communities
Electric vehicles and bikes
save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit
Small Town & Rural Car Clubs
• Address issues of transport poverty – bus
routes withdrawn
• Often Community led
- Shrewsbury (Shropshire)
- Hexham (Northumberland)
- Dunbar (Scotland)
- Staverley (Lakes – Visitor Model)
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Emerge from:
Local transition groups
Community groups / activists
Local Authorities wishing to address issues
of transport poverty – Bus routes
withdrawn
save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit
Social Cars
• Cars placed in non traditional car
club territories to:
- Improve Access and Social Cohesion
- Inclusion of car clubs on housing
association sites – e.g. Newcastle,
Swindon
- Tackle marginalisation & subsequent
income
- Tackle areas of poor public transport
save money, reduce car ownership, create envrionmental
benefit
Social Cars cont…
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Access to vehicles that are affordable
Empower individual decision making
Create safer environments
Communities unable to afford private cars
Address issues of lack of mobility
• Co-wheels ‘Hub’ and ‘Spoke’ Approach
save money, reduce car ownership, create envrionmental
benefit
Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
• Located outside of Care Homes
• Increase Accessibility
• Double up as standard Car Club
Vehicles
• Extremely valuable Community
Resource
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Address Social Isolation
Across Scotland – Pilot
Partnership with like-minded
organisations
save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit
Challenges of ‘Social Cars’
Challenge
Status
Less Profitable & often ‘break even’
• Take longer to become financially sustainable
• Can be off-set by better performing vehicles –
‘Hub’ and ‘Spoke’ Approach
User behaviour - Lack of awareness of ‘Car Club’
Concept
• Better information available
• Targeted Marketing / Comms
Often situated in areas of poor public transport
infrastructure
• Reliance on owning a car
• Vehicle dependency
Fewer licensed Drivers – able to join a Car Club!
Subsidy to pump prime
• Local authorities / Housing Assoc often willing to
invest
Pricing
• Mixed perceptions of affordability
save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit
[email protected]