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Many residents of rural communities in Derbyshire know the struggles of getting from A to B, in areas where public transport options are sparse and car ownership feels like an essential part of day-to-day life. Local environmental group Hope Valley Climate Action is highlighting the new options which are unfolding, thanks to the development of technology.

Local environmental group Hope Valley Climate Action has a project called Travelling Light, dedicated to improving travel and transport options in Buxton and Hope Valley. One of the options is known as “shared mobility”. Put simply, shared mobility means getting around by means of shared transport, for example car sharing or using someone else’s EV chargepoint to charge your car.

Give or get a lift

The simple act of offering or taking a lift in a car to get somewhere is a form of ‘shared mobility’. But it can extend to more than this, and open up a whole new world of available travel options. With simple tools lift-sharing can be extended safely and easily to a wider group of people of your choice, such as your neighbours, your work colleagues or even people you don’t know yet. For example, Kinto is an app which helps facilitate lift-sharing for workplaces, or you could set up a Whatsapp group with neighbours.

An EV charger at the Angler's Rest pub, Bamford

Rent out your car when you’re not using it

Air BnB is now a well-established concept, enabling people to rent out their properties to others. But this principle can also apply to cars; you can rent out your car to people you choose in a concept known as ‘peer-to-peer’ car sharing. As well as making informal arrangements with close acquaintances, there are apps which deal with arranging hires, security, insurance and charging, whilst owners can make additional cash from hiring their vehicle out to a wider group of people. Hiyacar is an example of an app which facilitates car sharing.

Rent out your EV charger

Electric vehicles are expected to be the future of car travel, but what should you do if you have no off-street parking where you can reliably and cheaply charge your car? In rural areas the number of public chargepoints is sparse, they can be expensive and intrusive on residential streets. Apps such as Co-Charger enable sharing of domestic chargepoints, allowing you to rest assured you can top up at a domestic property nearby, whilst the owner receives an income for the electricity sold.

Join a community car club

In some towns, commercial operators provide car clubs where you can hire one of their vehicles when you need it, without the hassle of owning one. Buxton, Belper and Derby have community car clubs.

Curious to learn more or give it a try?

Shared mobility, in all its forms, can provide the travel solutions for so many people; it opens up new opportunities, makes financial sense, reduces pollution, and is more sociable. You can tailor it to meet your needs. In rural areas it’s especially relevant, and you’ve probably already tried an option. Head to https://hopevalleyclimateaction.org.uk/ to learn more.

New options for getting around in rural communities