New car share scheme launched to help Buxton residents

Buxton Town Team’s Access, Parking, Traffic and Transport (APTT) research group found the average annual cost of a car is £4,000, with a gap in the market for those who only require a vehicle occasionally.

Teaming up with Enterprise there is now a car and van at Buxton station, available exclusively to car club members by the hour.

Andy Parker, a member of the APTT group working on developing a sustainable travel plan for Buxton said: “Buses, trains, taxis and active travel (walking and cycling), are really good alternatives to car ownership but sometimes only a car or van will get you where you need to go and so we looked at ways of sharing a car rather than buying one outright.

“When we were approached by a local car hire company for our thoughts on establishing a car club, we immediately thought of Buxton station car park, already intended as an Onward Travel Hub for the town.”

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Members can book a vehicle whenever they need to, without the cost of maintenance, road tax, insurance or buying a car in the first place.

Tina Heathcote, project leader, said: “We’ve been looking for ways to keep Buxton on the move and helping economically, as well as environmentally, is a major part of that.

"When you realise the average car is parked at home for 80 per cent of the time, parked elsewhere for 16 per cent of the time and in use for only 4 per cent of the time, it really makes you think that some alternatives would be good.

"With a car club you have access to a choice of cars and vans available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year.

“The vehicles are serviced and maintained by the club, and you only pay for them when you need them, not when you don’t.”

David Carlisle, chair of Friends of Buxton Station. added: "We’ve been really pleased to help establish the car club.

"We’re keen to encourage sustainable travel and being able to get to and from the station easily without needing to own a car really helps.”

To join the car scheme visit www.buxtontownteam.org.

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