Birmingham gets new car share service in bid to cut pollution

Co-wheels has been awarded a three year contract to deliver car sharing in Birmingham, Britain’s second biggest city starting today (Monday, Oct 15).

Britain’s only independent national car club, Co-wheels already delivers a network of almost 600 cars in more than 50 towns and cities across the UK from Aberdeen to Bristol and it has an already well established operation with 11 cars in the south of Birmingham.

Now it will be taking on a further ten fixed bays in the city centre with the option to at least double the size of the fleet in future using both fixed and floating bays in zoned streets, expanding the service to new areas of the city. Co-wheels will start running the existing bays, which are being taken over from Enterprise Car Club, from Monday, October 15.

Councillor Waseem Zaffar, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Birmingham City Council, said: “The introduction of this new expanded car club offering from Co-wheels will support the important work we are doing to tackle air pollution in Birmingham, providing people with access to clean, low-emission vehicles when they need one.

“An increasing number of Birmingham’s younger population are moving away from traditional car ownership, so car clubs provide them with the flexibility they need when it comes to travel options – and, with national figures showing that each car club vehicle defers the purchase of 11 private cars, it will also help reduce congestion on our city’s road network.”

Co-wheels Managing Director Richard Falconer said: “Birmingham is a brilliant opportunity and we are keen to expand the existing service and grow the membership. This will not only help improve environment friendly transport options in Birmingham but also help the city reach its targets to reduce air pollution and CO2.

“We already have a very popular franchise which has been operating in the south of the city for five years and this expansion allows us to offer more vehicles to a much wider audience across the city.

“As one of the few national car share operators it also expands our national network of 600 cars in more than 50 towns and cities stretching from Aberdeen to Bristol and the South Coast and we are always looking for opportunities to expand further.”

Ends

Photos
Co-wheels MD Richard Falconer plus car club vehicle & user shots
https://www.flickr.com/gp/134534000@N06/26VR78


Background:
Co-wheels is the largest independent car club operator in the UK. It is a social enterprise set up 10 years ago to provide more sustainable transport. It is also one of the most innovative car share operators and is the only one in the UK to offer Hydrogen fuel cell cars on its fleet.
As well as public car clubs, it works across the UK in partnership with local authorities, health providers, housing associations and universities as pool cars for staff to solve grey fleet problems, save money and reduce environmental impact. It also works closely with housing developers to provide car clubs in new developments.

For further details contact:
• Birmingham City Council – Jonathan Horsfall jonathan.horsfall@birmingham.gov.uk
Tel 0121 303 3367 m. 07920 750010
• Co-wheels – Robert Schopen robert.schopen@co-wheels.org.uk
Tel 0191 3785 1050 m.07540 698432