Car clubs have been successful in cutting carbon, reducing the number of private cars on roads in Scotland and improving accessibility, according to a new review published today by the environmental transport organisation, Carplus Trust.

The review outlines the progress of Developing Car Clubs in Scotland (DCCS) programme in achieving energy efficiency and carbon reduction in transport with innovative and cost-effective car clubs.

The DCCS programme is a national Transport Scotland funded programme, which is being delivered by Carplus Trust in partnership with community groups and local authorities in urban and rural communities across Scotland.

The review highlights how the programme has expanded the car club network by providing financial and technical assistance to support the introduction of pay-as-you-drive cars into 15 communities, and by doing so, has added 35 additional vehicles and 600 new members to the network.

In addition to supporting the continued development of car clubs in Edinburgh and Glasgow, 11 new car clubs have been supported through the programme.

As a result, up to 200 cars have been taken of the road and more than 148 tonnes of carbon is being saved annually.

Chas Ball, Carplus CEO, said: “In light of concern¬s surrounding climate change, this new review of the impact of the Developing Car Clubs in Scotland programme, demonstrates that car clubs are an affordable measure to help achieve wider energy efficiency and carbon reduction targets.”

Scottish Government Transport Minister Keith Brown MSP said: “The Scottish Government has an ambitious agenda for tackling climate change and the increasing interest in car clubs is demonstrating how the people of Scotland are engaging in delivering on this.

“Greener lifestyles can also be cheaper lifestyles, given the ever-rising costs of running a private car.

“We are funding the establishment of a network of car clubs across Scotland, which will provide more drivers with the opportunity to give up their cars in favour of pay-as-you-go driving, further reducing the environmental and economic costs of car use.”

The full review is available at www.carplus.org.uk/cms/dccsreview/.