A Car Club for Buxton
We have been really pleased to help establish the Car Club and that the first Club in Buxton is based at the Station. We are keen to encourage sustainable travel and being able to get to and from the station easily without needing to own a car really helps
Working together makes good things happen. In this case, a Car Club for Buxton trial for residents at Buxton Station. When Buxton Town Team, Access, Parking, Traffic and Transport research group volunteers found that the average cost of owning a car is around £4000 a year they looked for alternatives for Buxtonians.
Andy Parker, a member of the APTT working on developing a sustainable travel plan for Buxton said; ‘Buses, trains, taxis and active travel (walking and cycling), are really good alternatives to car ownership but sometimes only a car or van will get you where you need to go and so we looked at ways of sharing a car rather than buying one outright.
When we were approached by a local car hire company for our thoughts on establishing a Car Club for Buxton, we immediately thought of Buxton Station car park, already intended as an Onward Travel Hub for the town. To obtain permission, we worked with the Friends of Buxton Station volunteers who put us in touch with the right people at Northern Rail.’
Speaking for the FoBS, Dave Carlisle, said ‘We have been really pleased to help establish the Car Club and that the first Club in Buxton is based at the Station. We are keen to encourage sustainable travel and being able to get to and from the station easily without needing to own a car really helps.’
Businesses have been provided for, too. A van is also based at the Station so that those who only need one occasionally can book one ahead – and not just businesses. People moving house, collecting bulky items etc can use the van, too. Tina Heathcote, leader of the APTT project, said ‘With a car club you have access to a choice of cars and vans available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year. The vehicles are serviced and maintained by the club, and you only pay for them when you need them, not when you don’t. This concept fits in beautifully with the Sustainable Travel Plan for Buxton, due out shortly for consultation.
We have been looking for ways to keep Buxton on the move and helping economically, as well as environmentally, is a major part of that. When you realise the average car is parked at home for 80% of the time, parked elsewhere for 16% of the time and in use for only 4% of the time and a quarter of them are parked on the street it really makes you think that some alternatives would be good!’
For more information on the Car Club for Buxton, go to buxtontownteam.org
