Loading ...Zipcar and similar hourly car rental programs are becoming increasingly popular in the United Kingdom, as a growing number of drivers look to cut down on their fuel and auto maintenance bills. Known as “car clubs” in Britain, these organizations function along the same lines as those in the United States. Clients must become a member of a car sharing group and pay an annual membership, upon which they are granted access to a fleet of rental cars parked at various locations in major urban centers. Members may then simply sign up to rent one of these vehicles on an hourly basis using an online form, and they may rest assured that the quoted hourly fee is fully inclusive of all expenses, including a tank of petrol.
Paul McLoughlin, Zipcar’s UK-based managing director, pointed out that his firm has experienced a 25 percent increase in rentals and memberships over the course of the past year. “People are feeling the pinch and looking for alternatives,” McLouglin observed. It now costs, on average, £4,000 a year to own a family passenger car in Britain, whereas those who decide to join a car club and simply rent whenever they need to run errands or attend special events, get to enjoy massive savings. Renting a car three to four times a month to do grocery shopping, for example, is unlikely to cost more than £30.
Zipcar now boasts more than 350,000 members, although most of them are American residents, as this car sharing program remains strongest in its home country. In the UK, however, Zipcar does face some competition from Streetcar, a locally-owned company which offers a similar car sharing service. The only difference, however, is that Streetcar still only has a relatively modest membership base of 35,000 clients.
www.zipcar.co.uk
