Friday, July 17, 2009
UK motorists join car clubs in huge numbers due to recession
A recent survey has shown that UK motorists have joined car clubs in large numbers during the recession and there are now over 60,000 motorists in the UK.
Membership has more than doubled at City Car Club, one of the biggest UK clubs, in the past year since the credit crunch started mainly because car clubs are a much cheaper alternative to owning a car. But also the growth in broadband internet access in the UK has been a big factor because most people join and book the cars on the internet.
The survey by Transport Research Laboratory found that there are now 61,000 car club members across the UK and asked City Car Club members how they had changed their motoring habits since joining a club and found that 41% of existing members and 39% of new joiners said they had reduced their car ownership.
In total it amounts to a reduction of 24,400 cars off the UK roads, and the growth of car clubs shows no signs of slowing in 2009. Taken in addition with the fact that car sales have dropped by over 25% in the UK the survey shows a massive change in how UK motorists want to have access to a car.
Car Clubs are basically pay-as-you-go rental schemes where members can book locally parked cars for as little as £3.96 an hour and 50 miles free petrol every day. The cars are parked in local clusters on the streets in convenient locations near to residents and businesses and can be booked on the internet at www.citycarclub.co.uk or also at the car at a moment's notice.
DATED: 17.07.09
FEED: AW
