Car-Sharing and Car-Pooling in Great Britain: The Recent Situation and Potential

摘要

This Report reviews the character of passenger travel by car in Great Britain using, in particular, results derived from the National Travel Survey 1975/76. Car passengers who travel in a car belonging to another family account for as many passenger kilometers as all stage-carriage bus services. Car-poolers, who take it in turns to drive their own car and give lifts to others in the group, are only about 3 per cent of those who drive a car to work. Most passengers in non-household cars are regular passengers (car-sharers) who do not have the option of driving themselves. The families of car-poolers appear to make little use of the car on the days it is left behind for use off-peak, only about 10 km/week on average. Nor do they appear to make fewer off-peak bus trips than families where all the cars are taken to work. The Report attempts to quantify the effects of a hypothetical 10 per cent increase in peak period car occupancy. Net community benefits in excess of 100 pounds sterling M pa are estimated, with large savings in car travel and traffic congestion for increased car pooling, or in peak bus and rail provision if car-sharing increases. Though difficult to quantify, such an increase appears likely to occur only in extreme circumstances, particularly in the light of a trend for car occupancies to decrease. (Copyright (c) Crown Copyright 1979.)