Motoring

8% of Brits in transport poverty – Lift-sharing saves £1034 a year

Monday 20 November, 2023

New data from the Social Market Foundation (SMF) shows that 5 million people (8% of the British population) are being driven into poverty by transport costs.

Cars are the most expensive mode of transport, with the report stating that car usage costs the median British household over £5,650 per year. There are often limited alternatives though, particularly in rural areas, with people being forced into expensive car ownership by an absence of dependable and affordable public transport.

The SMF gives some long-term recommendations on how to tackle transport poverty, but according to other specialists there is a way of dramatically reducing driving costs now. And it’s something that’s on the increase in the UK – lift-sharing. The UK & Ireland’s largest car-sharing platform, Liftshare, has calculated that its members save an average of £1034 each per year.

Recently released Commuter Census data from Mobilityways found that, out of 7,439 survey respondents, the biggest year on year increase in commuting mode is car sharing. Travelling by car alone remains the most common mode of transport for the commute, so it’s clear that many more people could be cutting their costs by switching to car sharing. This year, 43% of Commuter Census respondents travelled to work by car alone, and a further 4% by car alone EV (Electric Vehicle). Combined, this is an increase from the single-occupancy commute levels recorded in the Government’s 2021 Census, which saw 45.1% of commuters driving to work in a car or van.

Mobilityways consultant commutologist, Millie Botting, comments, “There is, however, an indication that people are starting to move away from driving alone, to more affordable and sustainable modes of transport.” This year’s Commuter Census shows that people are returning to the workplace more, with a drop in ‘I usually Work from Home’ from 16% in 2022 to just 4% in 2023. Millie Botting continues, “As people travel more for work again, their modes are changing, with car sharing up 5% year-on-year. Plus, there are more people using almost all forms of public transport, including train, bus and tube.”

This rise in car-sharing is mirrored by Liftshare’s recent announcement of an 80% YOY increase in the number of people sharing through the journey matching platform in September, and a record-breaking summer, with double the usual numbers joining Liftshare
in July and August this year.

Liftshare Community Manager, Amy Young, comments “The increasingly prohibitive cost of car ownership is certainly a factor in the number of additional people trying lift-sharing. Drivers can cut the cost of their journey by half, or more if they take extra passengers. But we also hear from our members that they enjoy helping others get from A to B more affordably and conveniently. For those who don’t drive, it can be the case that public transport is too expensive or not feasible where they live.”

As a social enterprise, Liftshare offers its platform free of charge to members of the public. People can join as a driver or passenger, and add a journey for their regular or shift commute, as well as for one-off trips. Liftshare displays a suggested contribution against each journey, with payment being arranged between sharers. Or for regular journeys where more than one sharer drives, they can take it in turns driving, which also reduces the stress and tiredness of the commute. To find out how much you could save by lift-sharing, try the Liftshare Savings Calculator.
Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/

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Features

Renault delivers a fleet of 700 E-Tech full hybrid vehicles ‘Made in Spain’ to Eiffage Energía Sistemas

Eiffage Energía Sistemas, a company specialising in electrical infrastructure, installations, maintenance, renewable energy, civil engineering and construction, has added 700 Renault vehicles to its fleet in an operation carried out jointly with the leasing operator Northgate Renting Flexible, a leader in the field of professional mobility.

The delivery of the first units took place at the offices of Eiffage Energía Sistemas, located in Albacete, in an event attended by Eduardo González de la Rocha, commercial and marketing director of Northgate, José Manuel Martínez, CEO and delegate of Eiffage in Spain, and Sébastien Guigues, general manager of Renault and Alpine in Spain.

Commitment to sustainability

The three entities share a commitment to reducing their carbon footprint and moving towards more sustainable mobility. For this reason, this fleet of 700 vehicles is made up of hybrid vehicles that significantly reduce emissions in the urban and interurban areas where they will operate. In addition, by having an Eco environmental badge, they allow access and free movement in low-emission zones.

The vehicles chosen are the Renault Captur, Austral, Symbioz and Rafale, all manufactured in Spain and with E-Tech full hybrid engines that respond to the diverse needs of Eiffage Energía Sistemas.

In addition, it is also complemented by 60 units of the New Dacia Duster TCe 130 4×4, a model characterised by its versatility.

E-Tech full hybrid technology: technological and commercial leadership

Renault’s early commitment to developing a complete range of electric vehicles in 2011 has provided an unbeatable knowledge base for designing its E-Tech full hybrid technology. The knowledge acquired in terms of efficiency and energy management has led the brand to combine 1 combustion engine, 2 electric motors, 1 traction battery and 1 intelligent multi-mode gearbox. Thanks to this, the E-Tech full hybrid range is a benchmark in terms of emissions – 20 g CO 2 lower than its competitors – and low consumption – 1 l/100 km lower -. In addition, this technology allows up to 80% of driving to be done in electric mode in urban environments, resulting in highly enjoyable and efficient driving.

Thanks to this, Renault has positioned itself as the second brand that sells the most hybrids in Spain.

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Features

63% of young Spaniards under 30 consider that their car is essential in their everyday life

The Cetelem Observatory has published the Europe Automotive Study 2025, which analyses the relationship between young people and mobility and the automobile in 10 European countries (Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom and Portugal), as well as in China, the United States, Japan and Turkey.

Buying the first car
The image of the car improves
Young people are committed to mobility
Purchasing criteria
The environmental image of the car
The electric car, synonymous with progress
Methodology

Contrary to what one might initially think, young people are not disconnected from the car, but quite the opposite. As soon as they are legally allowed to do so, they are eager to get behind the wheel. Thus, a driving licence becomes an early necessity. In Spain, 38% of drivers obtained their driving licence at the age of 18, two points higher than the European average. Another 27% obtained it between the ages of 19 and 20, the same percentage as the European average; and 23% between the ages of 21 and 25, compared to 20% in Europe. Only 12% say they obtained their driving licence at the age of over 25.

Buying the first car

Half of young Europeans under 20 years of age living in cities with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants already own a vehicle.

However, financial constraints for young people when it comes to buying a vehicle remain strong. 6 out of 10 Europeans aged between 18 and 29 consider the price of a car to be too expensive. For this reason, 59% of Europeans under 30 buy their first used car, compared to 41% who buy a new one. In the case of Spain, it stands out above the European average in buying a new car as a first vehicle, with 56% of the mentions.

The average price in Europe for buying a first car is €13,985. Spain is above the average with an average cost of €15,625.

As for motorisation, petrol cars are the preferred choice for young Europeans, followed by electric and diesel cars.

The image of the car improves

According to the study, 7 out of 10 young Europeans say they enjoy driving. In addition, 1 in 2 people under 30 believe that their image of cars has improved over the last five years. Only 14% say it has deteriorated. It also highlights that this improvement in the image of cars is greater in cities than in rural areas, due to the growing importance of electric and hybrid cars in urban environments.

Young people are committed to mobility

For 6 out of 10 European drivers under 30, living their whole life without a car is unimaginable. French and Americans are the most reluctant to the idea of living without a car, while Turks, Poles and Chinese are more receptive.

However, the car is not everything, young people are considering different ways of getting around. Thus, we see that the use of the bicycle as a means of transport has gained ground for 7 out of 10 young people. The Netherlands and Poland are the countries that are most receptive to travelling by bicycle, while Portugal, the United States and the United Kingdom are the most reluctant.

Among the alternative means of transport used by young people, car sharing comes in second place, with 50% of young people stating that they use it.

Among young people who have at least one vehicle in their home, 57% say they also travel on foot on a daily basis, followed by 52% who use public transport.

In addition, 8 out of 10 young people also say that a car is essential for their daily life.

Safety, freedom and practicality are the three qualities of the car that young people most value.

Purchasing criteria

Rationality prevails when it comes to purchasing criteria. 45% of drivers under 30 consider price as the main factor when buying a car. However, this criterion is less important for them compared to older drivers, with a difference of almost 10 points. Both generations point to safety as the second most important purchasing criterion.

In addition, 9 out of 10 young drivers consider the information provided by brands important before making a decision.

The environmental image of the car

Almost half of young people consider cars to be the main cause of climate change. Cars are also cited as the main source of pollution in cities, especially among young people, with 64% of mentions.

It is also worth noting that 52% of drivers under 30 consider that the environmental measures imposed on cars and their use are sufficient, compared to 24% who consider them insufficient. 13%, on the other hand, believe that they are excessive.

The electric car, synonymous with progress

84% of young people say that technological advances will improve the environmental impact of cars. This is a point of view shared by all generations. In addition, 1 in 2 young people see electric cars as a more environmentally friendly means of transport, compared to 1 in 4 of those over 50 years of age.

In this sense, young people are enthusiastic about the future of the electric car, with 47% believing that it will be more relevant in the coming years. This contrasts with the opinion of those over 50, who are more cautious about this, with only 30% believing that it will be more relevant. 60% of young people also believe that the electric car will replace combustion cars in the future.

Methodology

The economic and marketing analyses as well as forecasts were carried out in collaboration with the research and consulting company C-Ways.

Fieldwork for the quantitative consumer surveys was conducted by Harris Interactive from June 25 to July 9, 2024 in 14 countries: Belgium, China, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

A total of 16,000 online surveys (CAWI method, 3,000 in France and 1,000 in each of the other countries) were conducted with the general population aged between 18 and 65, with nationally representative samples in each country. The representativeness of the sample is guaranteed by the quota method (sex, age).

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Motoring

MG Car Club announces a new insurance scheme.

The MG Car Club has launched ‘MG Car Club Insurance’ – a new insurance scheme administered by Peter James Insurance designed specifically for members by MG enthusiasts. The scheme will offer benefits that create a compelling reason to join the MG Car Club and, through its focus on insuring young drivers, aims to break down the barriers to young people owning MGs and participating in club activities.

MG Car Club is committed to helping young people become owners of an MG via its active Young Members branch. Now, through the scheme provided by Peter James Insurance – young enthusiasts who are members of the MG Car Club can access fully comprehensive insurance on their MG. This is a significant benefit over most other specialist insurers, who often set an age limit of 25 or 30 for classic car insurance.

Recognising that many young enthusiasts are keen to be involved but may not yet own an MG, Peter James Insurance have designed an option for ‘Accompanied Driver Cover’ where they can drive an MG with a parent or grandparent alongside them for a modest additional premium.

In addition to this the scheme prioritises club activities, with the aim of enabling MG Car Club members to derive more value from their club membership with peace of mind of knowing that their pride and joy is protected by a scheme designed with input from the club.

The benefits of ‘MG Car Club Insurance’ are to be unveiled at the 2024 NEC Classic Motor Show, where a champagne reception will be held for MG Car Club members at 10.30 am on Friday, 8th November, in Hall 3, Stand 150. MG enthusiasts will hear more details on the scheme’s benefits and chat informally with Dave Youngs, Partnerships Director at Peter James Insurance. The launch will also feature interviews with car owners and the Club’s President, John Day.

MG Car Club members can now benefit from: *

Exclusive rates for MG Car Club members
Additional discounts based on length of membership
Free and simple agreed value
Cover available for classic and modern MGs
Free salvage retention – in the event of a total loss, we will pay the full agreed value for the vehicle, and you may retain the salvage free of charge
Free Member to member cover – drive another club member’s MG with fully comprehensive cover regardless of who they are insured with
Multi-vehicle cover
A range of options for young MG enthusiasts
UK and European Breakdown Cover included
Tools and Spare Parts Cover (up to £3000)
Self-repair option
Legal expenses cover
Laid up cover
Limited mileage discounts
Cover for ‘MGs on Track’ events

Peter James Insurance is well-known for providing specialist classic vehicle insurance and has been positioned at the heart of the historic vehicle community for many years. Dave Youngs, Partnerships Director at Peter James Insurance, said, “We’ve worked closely with the club to develop a bespoke scheme designed to fulfil members’ needs and offer a true benefit of membership through discounted premiums and unique features to help you enjoy MGs with peace of mind.”

Lorraine Noble-Thompson, Chairman of the MG Car Club, explains, “Our objective was to create the best insurance scheme available for MGs anywhere in the market adding significant value to being a member of MG Car Club. Our new and exclusive features have not only addressed shortcomings in our previous insurance, but also provides members of the MG Car Club unique benefits they cannot get anywhere else. Now, MG Car Club members can rely on an insurance scheme built by the club itself. Whilst the scheme has been geared to primarily meet members’ insurance needs and deliver exceptional value to them, the addition of financial support generated from the initiative will allow us to invest in further activities, events and benefits for MG Car Club members.”

Director of the MG Car Club, Neil Brant added, “While the areas already outlined are essential, they are just the tip of a significant iceberg. We consulted with the MG Car Club members to add a whole raft of extra benefits and levels of cover that we knew were essential to the full enjoyment of MGs of any age or era, from pre-war cars to modern EVs. The team at Peter James Insurance have been responsive and flexible at every step to ensure the needs of the full spectrum of our members can be met.”

The insurance world for MG Car Club members is changing for the better. To protect your MG motor car of any age, call 0121 506 6026 or visit www.peterjamesinsurance.co.uk/mgcc for more information.