Spyridoula Vitouladiti, Transport for London The Commission on Travel Demand is an expert group established as part of CREDS (Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions) to explore how to reduce the energy and carbon emissions associated with transport.

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Spyridoula Vitouladiti
Car clubs and minicabs –
are they an alternative to
private car ownership?

2. Car Clubs in
London

3. Car club operating models
Multiple operators use a range of operational models
1. Traditions bay-based or round-trip schemes such as Co-Wheels, Zipcar.
Peer to peer schemes also work this way
2. Floating or Flexible one way schemes such as DriveNow, Zipcar Flex
3. Fixed one way schemes such as Bolloré (not currently operating in
London)
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1. collect and return car to
same bay
2. collect and leave car
anywhere in defined zone
3. collect and leave car at any
station location

4. Car clubs – London 2017* status
• London has 193,500 members at April 2017 which
represents 2.2% of the London population
• There are almost 3,000 car club cars in London
• London’s car club fleet is 99% Ultra Low Emission Zone
compliant (anticipated to be 100% for start of scheme)
• 100% of the London car club fleet has achieved the
NCAP 5+ or 4+ Star safety standard with almost 80%
meeting the NCAP 5+ Star standard
• Three in four car club bookings in London start during
off-peak or weekend periods
• Car club members are more likely to use a wide range of
public transport, walk and cycle
https://como.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Carplus-Annual-Survey-of-Car-
Clubs-2016-17-London.pdf
4* 2018 report currently awaiting publication
Beware!
Correlation ≠ causation

5. People’s knowledge of car clubs in London is limited
Question: Which of the following best describes your current experience of
car clubs in London?
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Source: TfL Parking and car clubs potential users and use survey April 2014

6. From the survey results the main reason for not being a car club
member is the perception that it is too costly – most
respondents overestimated what the charges are
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Question: What are the main reasons why you are not a car club member
currently?
Source: TfL Parking and car clubs potential users and use survey April 2014

7. Key findings of the stated preference exercise
• Most respondents prefer a point-to-point scheme where users collect and
drop off the car anywhere within a defined area rather than having to
collect and drop off at a fixed bay
• Access times to vehicles and hourly usage rates also a have significant role
in determining membership levels
• Local parking policy (e.g. higher parking permit prices) is not likely to play a
significant direct role in encouraging individuals to take up car club
membership
• However, higher parking permits prices may increase the likelihood that car
ownership will be reviewed and perhaps reduced. Car club membership
may then be a consequence
• Up to a third of respondents think that on becoming a member they would
either reduce their household car ownership level or defer the purchase of
another vehicle
7

8. The use of
minicabs in
London

9. 9
The number of PHV trips by
Londoners has increased by 63%
over the last five years
Source: LTDS 2017-2018
Nearly 285, 000 total taxi and PHV
trips by Londoners in 2017-2018
Black cabs trips
decreased 41%
over last 5 years
Are passengers returning to taxis? App users are not
necessarily loyal to one particular mode but will go
with whatever is cheapest and quickest
Source: TfL Taxi & Private Hire
Over the same period, the number
of PHV drivers has increased by 70%
and PHV vehicles by 76%
Has the peak
been passed?
Remember ‘Private hire’ is not just
minicabs but it is expected the
majority are and will be working for
app-based services
Plateauing?

10. No clear evidence of the use of minicabs directly affecting the
use of cars
10Source: PHV User Survey, 2018 (n-2121)

11. Travel to or from a night out is the most popular purpose of a
minicab trip
11Source: PHV User Survey, 2018 (n=1774)

12. Depending on the trip purpose, some trips offer the opportunity
of a PT or Active Travel leg
12
Minicab used for only one leg
for almost half of respondents’
journeys
Source: PHV User Survey, 2018 (n=1774)

13. Most minicab users have switched their trips from other modes
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63% of users that have switched modes
have done so from car as either a
passenger or driver
Nearly 40% of users who have switched
modes have come from bus
Source: PHV User Survey, 2018 (n=1774)

14. For the majority the use of minicabs has not had a direct impact
on car ownership
14Source: PHV User Survey, 2018 (n=1774)

15. Ridesharing is currently not a popular option amongst people
who use minicabs
15Source: PHV User Survey, 2018 (n=1774)
• Just under a third of respondents had used ridesharing
• Respondents in Outer London were less aware of
ridesharing options compared to Inner London
respondents
• Younger respondents are more likely they know of (and
sometimes use) ridesharing
• Ridesharing was the least popular feature of apps

16. Privacy and safety are the main reasons people don’t use
ridesharing options
16Source: PHV User Survey, 2018 (n=1774)
• Female respondents are more concerned
about safety than male
• 64% of respondents agree with “I don’t
like the idea of sharing a minicab with
someone I don’t know”. This percentage is
similar across all age groups.

17. Contact
Spyridoula Vitouladiti
Policy Analysis Manager
TfL City Planning
SpyridoulaVitouladiti@tfl.gov.uk