Councils told to prepare for increase in carsharing as workers give up their vehicles

Councils across Scotland have been told to prepare for an increase in car-sharing as more people work from home in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

A decline in full time office working as a result of the changes in lifestyle brought by Covid-19 is predicted to result in some people no longer needing a car for daily use.

This in turn could increase the popularity of car-sharing clubs, where users pay a small membership fee to access a shared car parked on a nearby street.

In a briefing distributed to all 32 local authorities, transport charity COMOUK said they should be prepared for “significant changes in commuting patterns” after the pandemic had passed.

It said car clubs were likely

to become a “more practical, cost-efficient and attractive option” for people no longer travelling to and from the office every day.

Before the coronavirus lockdown, 68 per cent of Scotland’s commuters drove to work by car or van and 66 per cent of all car journeys were single occupancy trips.

But most local councils have also declared a climate emergency and are urgently seeking ways to cut carbon emissions, such as by encouraging the use of public transport.

A rise in the use of car-sharing clubs would lead to more demand for shared on-street parking spaces, while bikesharing schemes could also become more popular.

In her Programme for Government last week, Nicola Sturgeon announced the creation of a new Centre for Workplace Transformation to respond to changes in working behaviour.

The organisation will examine “how and where work takes place” and help businesses become more flexible in allowing home working in the future.

COMOUK is partly funded by Transport Scotland, the agency responsible for delivering the Scottish Government’s green transport initiatives. Lorna Finlayson, the charity’s Scotland director, said: “We know that one of the changes in a post-covid economy will be more people working at home.

“That will reduce the number of commuter journeys made in a car, as many people just won’t see the benefit of running their own vehicle any longer.

“This will open the door for car club schemes, and councils need to be ready with a strategy to take advantage of these shifts in behaviour.

“It benefits everyone, as car clubs are more likely to use environmentally friendly vehicles, and it will reduce the amount of traffic on the streets while saving people money. If local authorities start preparing for a green future now, it could help save commuters money and move Scotland closer to hitting its climate change targets.”

Transport Scotland said it had already awarded £869,000 to registered social landlords to procure the services of electric car clubs and shared car hire schemes.

“This is already providing affordable access to e-mobility and real alternatives to car ownership in local communities,” a spokesman added.