An interview with...

Interesting insights into sustainable projects in South Cambridgeshire.

March 2010: An interview with... Hicar logo

Lots of us have great green ideas, but turning them into a reality is often a lot more difficult!! From what started out as a money-saving exercise, Chris Brown from Histon, formed a Community Interest Company, set up the 'HiCar' car club and proved that you can tackle sustainable travel around South Cambridgeshire...

The Brown household worked out how much they spend on their car despite not using it every day. "We were astonished at the amount before we even took in to consideration the loss in value of the car." They made the decision to sell their car and try getting around without one. With some careful planning they managed it for 8 months, very commendable as they have 2 children!

"There were some occasional journeys that were further afield or difficult by bike, bus or train so we had to hire a car which was expensive". So in February 2010 Chris and some other volunteers from the village put the wheels in motion to set up a community car club that would be cheaper and more convenient than commercial car hire or car club companies and suit the needs of people living in Histon and Impington. HICCA (Histon and Impington Climate Change Action) almost immediately offered support, for which HiCar were very grateful.

They were lucky that one of the volunteers was considering selling his car and agreed to lease it to HiCar. "The agreement is that HiCar pays for all maintenance of the car; fuel, tax, MOT, insurance, everything and in return the vehicle owner gets free hours of car usage each month. This is the fairest deal for everybody involved. "

You need to get the legal elements of a car club set up properly to make the project legitimate. "Finding an insurance broker for car club insurance is tricky but not impossible". HiCar's broker charges per vehicle for fully comprehensive insurance. This will enable the car club to expand their fleet of cars (which they are planning to do soon!!). The broker outlines the relevant checks that HiCar needs to do on anyone wanting to join the club and suggest the damages and excesses that each member has to pay relevant to their situation.

The medium for delivering the car club is through a co-operative community interest company (CIC). This takes a little longer to set up especially if you want a structure that is volunteer-based and not-for-profit. Chris found The Co-operatives UK website (This link will open in a new window) a useful source of information. HiCar does not pay salaries to those who run the car club and this keeps costs low as well as making sure that the efforts of the volunteers benefit members and the whole community.

Once the legal elements were established, HiCar made sure that the mechanism for booking the car was in place along with a thorough business plan and clear advertising routes. Their pricing clearly outlines the general membership fees and deposits as well as the price per hour and price per mile fees that are tiered according to the number of hours the car is booked. HiCar also sets out charges for late return of the car, bounced payment and damages and excesses. HiCar's business plan is to buy a smaller city car, providing members with the option of a larger car for a family outing or a smaller efficient run-around for short journeys. They are also keen to explore the route of promoting the HiCar to local businesses who can use the club instead of having the hassle of keeping pool cars and to help reduce the number of employees who must bring their cars to work.

From a user perspective, the process is simple, once you are a member you can log on, book the car, and receive a code to unlock and drive the car. The car is picked up from its parking space in Histon and returned to the same spot. There is a fuel card that can be used at any service station for filling up the HiCar. There are lots of reasons why people have joined HiCar. Chris worked out that for anyone who does less than 6000 miles a year it is cheaper to book the HiCar than have your own car. Some people don't need two cars everyday and so access to a second car for occasional journeys is what HiCar can provide. "When your teenager starts learning to drive do you buy them a car or let them borrow yours and you use the HiCar...." One couple have joined HiCar because they can get to work and the local shops without a car but would like access for occasional trips out of the parish.

There is no doubt that car clubs change the way we think about travelling around. They make us more conscious of cost and for those of us who are climate-conscious it helps us to align our desires to travel more sustainably with the practicalities of rural living that often demand the occasional use of a car.

Chris's final words..."My tips for anyone thinking of forming their own car club would be to talk to us!! We have been through the process and would love to help others to set up car clubs across South Cambs. You just need energy and enthusiasm from a committed few!!!"

If you have been inspired to set up your own car club please email sustainability@scambs.gov.uk (This link will open in a new window) or contact Chris on 01223 690891 and have a look at the HiCar website (This link will open in a new window) for more information

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