The terms car-sharing or lift-sharing when used in Northern Ireland generally refer to the practice where commuters or travellers agree to share journeys with friends or colleagues. This may be two or more drivers who agree to use their vehicles on alternate dates/weeks, etc. Or it may mean a motorist agreeing to take passengers for a charge to help with the costs of the journey. With more cars on the roads, car sharing schemes are springing up to help combat congestion.
Car sharing schemes allow people to share vehicles for some journeys. Benefits of this include:
There are organised schemes available to everyone and some of them can be accessed on the internet. Other schemes are only for people in certain organisations or businesses. You can also choose a less formal arrangement by planning journeys with family, friends and colleagues.
TravelwiseNI, an initiative by the Department for Regional Development (DRD) Roads Service, promotes an internet-based public car share scheme which is available for all residents, commuters and business travellers within Northern Ireland.
The Department for Regional Development, in partnership with the Department for Transport in Dublin promotes an internet-based car share scheme on a cross-border basis to residents, commuters and business travellers in the Londonderry, Strabane and Donegal areas.
The term car club when used in Northern Ireland usually describes clubs which provide members with access to the 'hire' of a vehicle. Vehicles are parked close to homes or workplaces and can be used (and paid for) on an hourly, daily or weekly basis.
Car clubs have an important role to play in reducing our dependence on the car by giving people access to a car for essential journeys without the need to own one.
Using a car club is very easy and less hassle than ownership because, for example:
Environment and greener living
