Northumberland County Council is committed to
promoting sustainable transport choices, however we realise that
replacing car trips with walking, cycling or travelling by public
transport is not always possible or a viable alternative to the
car. In these cases the emphasis should be on sustainable car
usage. This page sets out how the authority is currently
supporting sustainable car usage, including:
- Car Sharing
- Car Clubs
- Electric Vehicles
Car Sharing
Car sharing is when two or more people share a
car and travel together. It allows people to benefit from the
convenience of the car, whilst alleviating the associated problems
of congestion and pollution. Car sharing can also help people
save money, provides a solution to the transport problems of rural
areas, reduces parking problems and reduces the need for a private
car.
The authority operates a webpage designed to
enable you to car share in and around Northumberland. Simply
register your details, where you are travelling to and from and
whether you’re offering or seeking a lift, then the site will
search for appropriate matches. Simply go to http://www.northumberlandcarshare.com.
Car Clubs
The basic idea of a car club is that people
can have access to a car without having to own it. Members
pay an annual fee to an operator, who provides and maintains the
vehicle. They then pay by the hour and mile for each trip
that they undertake. The combined costs of membership and use
are intended to be cheaper than personal car ownership.
Car clubs can offer financial savings for low
mileage users and families considering buying a second car.
Members pay for how much they use the car and this reduces the
temptation to use the car for unnecessary short journeys.
The authority works in partnership with the
car club operator Commonwheels. There
are currently two car club vehicles in operation in
Northumberland, at the following locations:
- Wylam
- Prudhoe
The authority has aspirations to roll this
scheme out across the County and it is hoped that this will improve
accessibility issues for families without a car and reduce
dependency on the car for shorter journeys.
For more information on the car club scheme
and to join the scheme, go to http://www.commonwheels.org.uk/.
Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles offer significant
environmental benefits compared to existing internal combustion
engine vehicles. They produce no tailpipe emissions and
research suggests using the current UK power mix, electric vehicles
could realise up to a 40% benefit in carbon dioxide savings
compared to a typical petrol family car. Larger emission
reduction’s can be realised over time if the UK moves to lower
carbon sources of power generation.
The authority is currently supporting a region
wide project to install over 1000 electric vehicle charging points
in the North East over the next two years. These will be
installed on streets, in car parks, at residential and commercial
locations and at retail and leisure facilities.
For more information or to register as a
driver of an electric vehicle and receive a personal electronic tag
for opening and using charge posts, go to http://www.chargeyourcar.org.uk.
