The number of people enquiring about car sharing in Birmingham has increased by over £600% as fuel prices continue to rise.
A website that allows people to find thousands of Car Sharers on different routes, reported that the number of people who searched for shared journeys rose by 612% when compared to 2010 figures.The website Carpooling is linking the increased interest in the site to the soaring costs of fuel. They believe that people are considering ways to economise their motoring budgets. It was revealed recently that the average price of petrol shot up to an all time high passing the original peak rate of May 2011.
The findings were released a few days after Birmingham council announced a new car sharing trial project at the 2012 transport summit. The scheme hosted by the council and carshare suppliers Car2Go. It will allow motorists to rent one of 250 petrol powered Smart Fortwos for short journeys and also collect and drop off vehicles if needed within a 30 square mile zone.
Unlike some car sharing schemes car2go vehicles don’t have to be parked at fixed stations. The company is paying the city a monthly fee that covers on and off street parking. Customers also have the freedom to end their rental without having to return vehicles and will only have to pay for the time they actually used the vehicle.
The Car2go scheme was originally launched in Austin, Texas in 2009. The scheme burgeoned in America and Europe and boasts more that 70,000 members. Birmingham is the fist city in the UK to host the scheme.