Minister calls on employers to embrace car sharing

The government has urged employers to organise car pooling schemes for staff after a new survey revealed just one in 100 people are part of a formal lift sharing scheme.

The Department for Transport survey of over 1,500 people found that informal car sharing was relatively popular with 61 per cent of respondents claiming they had taken part in some form of car sharing in the past month and over a quarter claiming they catch a lift at least once a week. However, employer-organised car-pooling schemes remain remarkably rare.

Transport minister Rosie Winterton urged employers to consider introducing such schemes, adding that they had the potential to cut carbon emissions and provide easier commutes for staff.

"Car sharing helps reduce congestion, tackle pollution and carbon emissions and importantly, cut the costs of travelling," she said. "While this research shows that informal car sharing is popular, it highlights that formal schemes run by employers are still in a small minority."

The research follows the launch last year of the Department for Transport's best practice guide for travel planning, which offers firms guidelines on how to develop car sharing schemes and other low carbon travel initiatives.

The government is also investigating promoting wider use of car sharing by introducing car-pooling lanes in some areas. Last October, work began on the UK's first high occupancy vehicle lane near Leeds and the project is expected to be completed within the next few months.