‘That's a good idea’

This is a new section for the DGS in which we want to look at some of the practical things that socialists and progressives do in their local communities. If you are involved in a local activity that you think others should hear about please contact the DGS editors.

In this article Shirley Gibb looks at Edinburgh City Car Club and argues that the club offers the possibility of squaring the convenience of car use with environmental concerns.

Do you own a car? Do you feel guilty about it? Do you sometimes think of giving it up, but then decide you couldn't live without it?

“I don't drive much, but - I couldn't manage the shopping without it, I use it to take my family out at weekends, I visit relatives on the other side of town.”

One attempt to solve the problem is The Edinburgh City Car Club. Started in 1998, the Club now has 2700 members in Edinburgh, and is growing all the time.

It has 86 cars parked in various locations around the city, and members can book one at an hourly rate of £4-£5, depending on the size of the car. Fuel is included in this price.

One very satisfied customer is Mungo Morris, a 30 year old student. An active member of Greenpeace, he is delighted to have the use of a car without actually owning one.

“I can thoroughly recommend it. I use the club because I have concerns about the environment, but people are also starting to use it for purely economic reasons, as a result of the recession.”

Mungo lives in Portobello, where there are three car bays. Originally from Bristol, he can also use cars there, as it is one of seven cities in England that also have a car club. At the moment Edinburgh is the only one in Scotland.

“It works brilliantly for me. I probably use a car about once a fortnight, for things like weekend outings, or meeting friends from Bristol at the airport. You can take passengers, just as you would with your own car. An added bonus is that there's no problem with parking. I take it and return it to one of the bays in Portobello.”

It costs £50 per year to join, after which the hourly rate applies. Booking can be done online or by phone. The cars are computerised, and members have a card which opens the car door. Once inside you enter a unique security number to access the keys.

Picking up a car seems to be easy if you live in the city. A quick postcode search showed that there are six car locations within easy walking distance of my house.

Members use the cars for a variety of activities: shopping, family outings, business.

Given the costs of owning a car – insurance, tax, MOT, fuel and the always possible garage bill if something goes wrong – the Car Club does seem a good option financially. And from a green perspective it seems to work.

According to the Club's website, a successful car sharing scheme can reduce car commuter traffic by nearly a quarter, and car club members, as opposed to car owners, reduce their mileage by nearly half.

The Club keep the cars as new as possible, partly because customers want decent cars but also because newer cars ensure lower carbon emissions. As alternative-fuel cars become more commonplace and easier to use, the club will include them in its fleet.

For people like Mungo, and the other 2,699 members in Edinburgh, the Car Club seems an excellent way to square the convenience of car use with green concerns.