car clubs

Ever thought about giving up your car, but still need it on an occasional basis? Frustrating isn’t it?

Car clubs could be the answer you’ve been looking for! They can provide you with an easy-to-book car, when and where you need it, at a reasonable cost. So no more need to worry about road tax, insurance, maintenance or even petrol… sound good?

What about the costs?

It’s difficult to give a precise cost for car clubs, because different operators have different charging systems.

Generally you'll pay a one-off joining fee of around £25 plus a refundable deposit, around £100. Vehicle hire costs can vary from about £5 per hour, decreasing as the hire period gets longer.

Car clubs could save infrequent drivers a lot of cash over a year. The biggest savings are made if, like many car club members, you are able to sell (or not buy) your own car, because you are using it very little. In this situation you could save yourself many hundreds of pounds a year, if not more!

And those nice people at CarPlus have produced a handy cost calculator for car clubs, to help you work out your savings – so give it a go, it only takes a minute!

What now?

In Tyne & Wear we have a fantastic car club provider caller Commonwheels.

Commonwheels, who are Newcastle City Council's and Gateshead Council's preferred car club provider, have vehicles based in a number of locations across those areas. Join their club via their website. 

It is hoped that car clubs will be extended across Tyne and Wear in the future.