Member Article

Newcastle City Council’s green transport initiative gaining pace

Growing numbers of Newcastle residents are getting on board with the city council’s Go Zero initiative encouraging people to use greener modes of transport.

With support from the Go Zero campaign more than 430 people have now joined the Co-wheels car hire scheme, with numbers increasing all the time.

This increase of members to Co-wheels has driven demand with new bays added next to Ilford Road Metro station and on Portland Road in Shieldfield.

There are 15 cars available to hire through Co-wheels across Newcastle, with plans to add more in the coming months.

In a further boost to the green credentials of the car clubs, new low-emission hybrid and electric vehicles have been introduced.

The electric cars emit no exhaust fumes and can be charged for free at any one of the city’s 70 electric vehicle charging points.

The Go Zero campaign aims to help Newcastle become of the UK’s greenest cities by reducing car emissions and congestion.

A free-to-use web app has been created to help people find their nearest Co-wheels car club bay, electric vehicle charging point and X40 Great Park and Ride bus stop and can be found at www.go-zero.co.uk.

Councillor Ged Bell, said: “We have a duty to make sure that people can move across and within the city efficiently.

“Car clubs offer a cheap and convenient option that can replace the need to own one or more cars.

“Promoting them is part of our wider strategy to make our transport system fit for the people who live, work and study here.

“By promoting car clubs alongside our other initiatives we help ease congestion and make the city easier to get around.

“This creates a better environment for anyone who lives or works in Newcastle.

“As well as car clubs the Go Zero campaign includes the promotion of the X40 Great Park and Ride bus service and the city’s electric vehicle charging points, two great services that we expect to be of real benefit to Newcastle residents.

“As a council we’re committed to reducing Newcastle’s carbon emissions by at least 20% by 2020.

“One way to do this is to make choosing sustainable ways to travel easy and accessible for everyone.”

Newcastle development coordinator for Co-wheel, Liz Gray, said: “Once individuals or businesses sign up for the scheme online they get sent a smart card.

“They can then pre-book the car they want to use based on location and the time they want to use it.

“Bookings can be made with as little as 1 minutes’ notice, or as far ahead as you would like.

“At the time of the booking they will be able to get in and drive away – it’s that simple.

“We’ve recently lowered prices so hourly rates are from just £3.75.

“With mileage charges reduced to just 13p a mile, it works out far cheaper than the estimated £3,500 yearly cost of running a car.”