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Driving

For some journeys, there is often little alternative to using the car, particularly if you are travelling outside peak times, or if you have multiple destinations.

If you have considered the alternatives and still decide to drive, there are ways to minimise the impact of your journey. The easiest is to car share.

Car sharing effectively reduces the cost of car use by 50%, or more if you share with additional people. Car share partners can be people living nearby, or people who live on the route to your destination. You can either ask your car share partner to contribute towards the driving costs or take turns driving to split the costs. If you want further information or need help finding a car share partner visit: carsharedevon.com

Carsharedevon.com is the country’s most successful regional car sharing scheme with around 11,000 members.

“You know, somebody actually complimented me on my driving today. They left a little note on the windscreen, it said ‘Parking Fine.’ So that was nice.”

Tim Vine

Many people will read this and think: “why am I going to catch the bus, train or cycle, when it is so much cheaper to drive?” This is a common misconception but when you factor in the total ownership costs of each car you have, driving starts to look less financially sound.

For the money you would spend on an average run around car you could buy: two 52 week Stagecoach season tickets (£652.50 each); Pinhoe Car Club membership (£25) plus 50 hours of driving* (£650); two new hybrid bikes (£400); and a couple of taxi rides to and from Exeter city centre (20 journeys at £12 each) (£240). And you would still be better off by around £800 each year.

On an average salary of £26,000, you would work for 1.4 months each year to pay for travel, or even longer if you bought a new or bigger car!

As can been seen in the Devon County Council film above, the impact of car journeys can be minimised by travelling outside the peak hours and adopting eco-driving techniques. These will help to reduce the cost and environmental impact of driving.

Pinhoe Car Club

If you live or work at Hillside Gardens, you will have access to the on-site car club.

Car club’s provide vehicles for neighbourhoods or businesses to share and offer a cost effective alternative to car ownership. The vehicles are typically parked in neighbourhoods and, once you have signed up as a member of the car club, the vehicle is available for short term hire, with a low hourly fee.

Having occasional access to an extra car makes it easier to manage the travel demands of a modern family, without needing to buy an expensive second or third car.

Click on the image below to find out more about the car club and how it could save you money.

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Eco-driving tips

  • Maintain your vehicle – check tyre pressures, oil and water levels and get your car serviced regularly to keep it running efficiently;
  • De-clutter your car – only carry with you what you need for the journey, having a set of golf clubs or a pushchair in the boot reduces fuel efficiency;
  • Streamline – Remove roof bars and cycle racks from your car when not need as the extra drag they cause reduces your efficiency;
  • Pace yourself – Avoid excessive speed. Driving at 85mph uses approximately 25% more fuel than driving at 70mph;
  • Keep your distance – allowing more distance between your vehicle and the car in front allows you to smooth your journey, giving you more time to anticipate traffic lights and other road users reducing the need to brake heavily or accelerate away.

For more information and advice on efficient motoring see our useful links below.

% of journeys by car (as driver)

National Average (All trips) - 2018 National Travel Survey 61%
National Average (Travel to Work) - 2018 National Travel Survey 62%
Pinhoe ward (Travel to work) - 2011 Census 60%
Hillside Gardens Target car driver (alone) mode share 61.8%