Car When You Need It: Leeds households invited to join new car-sharing trial
People across Leeds are being invited to join in a three-week experiment exploring different ways to access cars without needing to own one.
The Car When You Need It experiment is part of a multimillion-pound research project led by the University of Leeds to encourage people in the city to try alternatives to private vehicle ownership.
It aims to explore whether having easy access to a car, but only when needed, could benefit local communities around Leeds.
Researchers aim to recruit between 30 and 50 households, with participants choosing between two options, which they would try out for three consecutive weeks this November.
Option one would be for a group of two or more households to join forces, with one household providing their car for loan on an app. That car will then be available to other members of the group.
Option two would see households utilising a specific hire car available for use between one and three days a week. Households would agree on the days in advance.
Those interested are asked to leave their own car at home during the course of the experiment. Participants will also receive a thank-you payment.
Greg Marsden, Professor of Transport Governance at the University of Leeds Institute for Transport Studies, is leading the experiment. He said: “If you’ve ever wondered what a world where people did not need to own their own cars might look like, we would love you to get involved.
“People have told us they are really worried about the number of cars on the streets around them, but that they also value the flexibility of the car for some journeys. We want people to try out some options which mean they can have the convenience of a car without the hassle of ownership.
“If these ideas work then we really could give space back to communities for play or green space. We are looking for people who are willing to have a go and tell us how it goes and what else might make it better.”
Data collected from participants will be used by researchers to understand what the households did and how they want to improve the services they tried.
The experiment is part of the INFUZE study (Inspiring Futures for Zero Carbon Mobility), which is asking communities across the city to help design alternative transport systems. It will eventually include up to 400 households in Leeds.
The £7.8 million study is led by the Institute for Transport Studies (ITS) at the University of Leeds, along with the Royal College of Art and Lancaster University. It is funded by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council.
For more details about the experiment and to sign up, click HERE.