save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit

From urban city to rural – developing Car Clubs and Electric Bikes

Richard FalconerDirector

About Co-wheels• Over 55 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

Business Model

save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit

• 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”

Car Clubs across Scotland:Cities and Large Towns• Aberdeen• Dundee (Big Expansion April 2015)• DumfriesTowns & VillagesCommunity owned Co-wheels Franchisees• East Lothian- Dunbar, Haddington & N. Berwick• Anstruther• Moffat • Huntly (in development)

save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit

Aberdeen City

• Organisational Challenges- High levels of environmental impact - associated

with grey fleet mileage- High Staff business travel requirements- High costs of business mileage, taxis and car rental- Administration and overheads- Pressure on estate and parking- Unproductive service delivery

• In addition to the above – Council were keen to reduce city’s environmental impact (air quality) and reduce private car ownership

save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit

save money, reduce car ownership, create envrionmental benefit

Aberdeen Car Club…

• Launched April 2012• One of UK’s fastest growing car clubs:- 900 members

- 26 Vehicles (soon to be 40)

• Enabled businesses and residents to access a car when needed reducing private car ownership

- Reduced parking pressures, congestion & improved air quality

“£40,000 – Annual financial saving to Aberdeen City Council”

Aberdeen Car Club cont…

save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit

• Benefits- 24 / 7 availability of vehicles across City- Reduced overall business miles- Reduced commuting by car- Reduced car ownership- Reduced administration / costs

• Electric vehicles in Car Clubs• Introduction of Wheelchair

Accessible Vehicles (4)

Small town & rural Car Clubs

save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit

“95% of Scotland rural in nature and 18% of population live in rural areas”

• In car dependent communities car clubs can:- Practical & cost effective alternative to car ownership- Reduce transport costs by providing access to a car without the need to own one- Improve rural accessibility and reduce social exclusion to access essential services- Contribute towards rural resilience by encouraging communities to work collectively

• The Co-wheels approach – Facilitate Community run car clubs: - Insurance- Back office functions- In car telematics - Vehicle procurement- Brand

Where set up costs are a barrier – join the Co-wheels Community Network of Car Clubs

Rural Car Clubs Cont…

save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit

• Emerge from: - Local transition groups

- Community groups / activists

- Transport poverty – Bus routes withdrawn

• Co-wheels East Lothian- Members - 137- Vehicles - 8

E-bikes Scheme - Inverness

save money, reduce car ownership, create environmental benefit

• Built on our first E-bike Scheme in Bristol• Carbon CLEVER Cycles is a collaborative project –- The Highland Council, Co-wheels car club and SSE - e-bike hire from two locations in Inverness- Falcon Square and Council Headquarters • 12 Secure Lockers with Charging Infrastructure• GIANT bikes with Yamaha power assisted motors• 80 members (Council Staff signed up)• Over 200 Bookings • Key Lock Mechanism

Questions?

richard@co-wheels.org.uk