The City Car Club may close. Budget Rental, who operate the scheme, have announced it will pull out shortly.
This will be a major blow, first, for nearly 200 households who have already joined and are building their lives around it - many having sold their car. For many, there is a worthwhile financial saving, and for some it is the lack of worries over theft, breakdown, insurance, etc, which appeals. Now many will be tempted to revert to their former arrangements - and would they ever trust a future Club enough to risk such hassle again?
Second, and in the long run even more serious, it will be a huge setback to Edinburgh Council's sustainable-transport policies. Although the Club is run independently, by Budget Rental, it was set up through a Council initiative and with strong Council moral support. The Council has continued to highlight it as an early practical initiative towards a more sustainable city. For example, the summary of Edinburgh's recent Local Transport Strategy [overleaf] states, "The Council has led the way in giving people access to cars without them having to own one, through the pioneering City Car Club. The Club is the UK's first scheme of this kind, which offers car use without the need for ownership".
The government too has praised the Club as a practical example of where transport and planning policies should be heading. If the Club fails, it will be seized on by opponents of such initiatives, and used as a political weapon in the battles which are now beginning over whether Edinburgh Council will or will not introduce road-user charging. And that decides whether the Council can raise the funds for serious investment in public transport - rail, tram, bus, cycling, walking - as in the 'advanced' scenarios of the Council's Transport Strategy.
Experience of Car Clubs has shown they result in significant reductions in car use by members. Many car owners use their car for most journeys - because they have already paid the 'fixed' costs and/or because they feel at home in it. Club members, however, generally make wider choices between car, bike, walk, bus or rail depending on the particular journey and its purpose.
Why is the Club in danger? According to a letter to members from Budget's Ronnie Graham there is an annual £100,000 loss. He says "the concept is still possibly too revolutionary to gain widespread acceptance among city dwellers".
Is he unaware that hundreds of towns and cities across Europe now run successful car clubs? By 1995 Berlin's already had 3000 members. Even in Britain, several others have already followed Edinburgh's lead, and a UK car club network has recently been formed - see www.carshareclubs.org.uk 0113.234.9299. [However UK initiatives are still in early stages, and the demise of the Edinburgh scheme, widely touted as a model for elsewhere, would be a blow to the setting up of other schemes].
According to a Car Club member, who has carried out some investigations, and contacted Spokes, it seems more likely that the Edinburgh scheme is at risk because Budget is in trouble worldwide and is imposing short-notice cost-cutting wherever it can. The City Car Club, which Budget presumably had expected to take time to build up to a profitable level, can therefore no longer be supported through its initial phase. The member also points out that in the Club's 2 years of operation there has been little serious attempt to publicise it. True, there was a big push when it was first set up, but, for example, the membership itself is an obvious source of enthusiasm. Members could have been given publicity leaflets and asked to get friends to join, possibly with incentives to do so. There could have been link-ups with bike shops, bus companies, etc, to make the club more attractive and to generate of a feeling of mutuality. According to his calculations it would only take a rough doubling of the current membership, to 400 [compared to 3000 in Berlin], for it to be financially viable - i.e. if each existing member was incentivised to recruit just one more, that would be nearly break-even point already.
We urge members to actively support the Club - especially if you might consider joining it, or know others who might. Here is what you can do...
A consultation is now on (until 1 March) about the council plans to relocate/reduce central Edinburgh traffic - including a ban on private motor traffic on both sides of Princes Street. We cannot deliver copies of the consultation document to all members as it would increase the bulk of our mailout too much, but hope to send it to those who take extra leaflets/posters and so have a large envelope anyway. But see Spokes 78 for details of the consultation [or phone 0131.469.3785, Andy Conway]. Please visit the exhibition and leave comments, or write in with comments. Points to consider...
Many members help us by leafleting bikes
at their workplace, shopping centres, etc, with copies of Spokes. This
is a great way to spread cycle development news, and knowledge of Spokes.
But we have had a complaint that Spokes (the leaflet) was left intertwined
through some spokes (the metal ones). If the cyclist didn't notice this
the result could be annoying or even dangerous. So please use your nouce
when helping Spokes in this way!
Scottish Executive Minister for Transport,
Sarah Boyack [who will be speaking at our 14 March public meeting]
Press Release SE0179/2001, 30 Jan 2001
Feb 10, Mar 24, Apr 7 Railway Ramblers Walk (not usually cycle) on disused rail lines. Raymond Hutcheson 01324.625816.
Feb 22 Paths, Health and Social Inclusion Day seminar in Alloa(?) by Paths for All. Cost £45?. 01259.218888.
Feb 23 Falco Lecture Prize Closing date to enter competition to present paper at Velo City conference (plus £1200 cash prize). The subject is... "Today's young people lead much less active lives than ever before, so creating a future generation of unhealthy adults. Describe the main themes of a promotional strategy, and how they would help ensure tomorrow's adults use the bicycle as a normal part of an everyday and healthy life." More details: 0208.671.7561 oh@velo-city.org
Feb 27 Sustainable Transport Solutions,
Sarah Boyack MSP, Transport Minister for Scotland. Centre for Human Ecology
lecture/seminar, 6.15pm for 6.30. 12 Roseneath
Place. £3.50. Followed by meal, £5 - must book. 624.1972
info@che.ac.uk.
Feb 28 Bikefest [June 17] Planning Meeting 6pm at Sustrans office, Coates Place. Mark 623.7600
Mar 13 Edinburgh Waterfront Development Evening public CRAG/SAPT meeting, speaker Alan Couper of the above. Ask him for assurance about nature of cycleroute to city centre if/when trams are introduced [Spokes 76,77]. 7.30, City Chambers, High Street.Juice & biscuits 7.00, pub after!
March 14 Spokes Public Meeting Sarah Boyack MSP, Transport Minister. City Chambers. 7.30 (coffee/stall 6.45).
Mar 20 Is the World safe in the hands of Big Business Debate between Kevin Dunion, FOE and Matthew Farrow, CBI. Event organised by CHE - time, place, meal etc as Feb 27 above.
Mar 26 Sustaining a Nation conference
on Sustainability and Scotland, to mark 10 years after Rio Earth Summit.
Cost £80.
0131.474.9212 Betty Hannan or www.sustainable.scotland.gov.uk
Apr 8 Users' Guide to Climate Change Workshop, 10-4, at CHE, 29 Roseneath Place, 624.1972. Cost £8. Must book.
?Apr 10 (or 11 or 12) Home Zones Conference Glasgow. Details/ideas: Colin Guthrie 0141.959.9794.
Apr 19 Earth Car-Free Day www.carfreeday.com
?June 19 Spokes Bike Breakfast Jackie 664.0526
Aug 5 Borders Push 25- & 50-mile sponsored rides for testicular cancer. Steve Young 01875.823709. tcas@breathemail.net
2001 Chile & New Zealand cycle events raising funds for Guide Dogs for the Blind, specially seeking tandemists blind and sighted to ride together. Must raise minimum sum for GdfB to take part. 07990.540157 or lorraine.urquhart@care4free.net.
Edinburgh Council's Local Transport
Strategy is now finalised and submitted to the government. It guides local
transport policy for the next 5-10 years and beyond - including targets
for increased cycle use. A lengthy summary is available free: pick
one up at or write to City Development Dept, Local Transport Strategy,
1 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh EH1 1ZL. The full document costs £32
from the same address, and is also at www.edinburgh.gov.uk.
You can also subscribe [£10 for 2 years] for updates to the document.
West Lothian Council's LTS is also now available - phone Alastair
Short 01506.775292.
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