A 2018 article on the Yorkshire Post website told us quite starkly that the reason for daily congestion in Leeds is “too many people travelling alone in cars.” They were quoting traffic campaigner, Rob Greenland who is known for his goal of a car-free city centre in Leeds. Many of us might scoff at the idea, and claim that we need to drive ourselves everywhere. We’re all for more people owning cars, but have you ever considered carpooling as a solution to the local traffic woes?
Carpooling, or car sharing, is where a group of friends with a common destination would take turns being driver for the day and take responsibility driving each other to and from their workplace or wherever they are heading together. You might think it as impractical or unnecessary, but think about if it became commonplace in Leeds and how it might help the congestion. If you’re still not convinced, here are some more reasons to think about car sharing in Leeds.
1. Save on petrol and parking money
The BBC reported in June 2019 that the average petrol price across the country is £1.28 (£1.34 for diesel). If you’re not driving on multiple days a week, then that’s petrol you’re not using. Petrol is a big expense, so take the savings and use the money over time on something else. What’s more, you don’t have to find or pay for any parking. Great bonus!
2. Company on the road
The morning and evening commute can be quite lonely if you’re driving yourself. Sure, you can put the radio on, but it’s a bit mad (and pointless) trying to have a conversation with the breakfast or afternoon host of your choice. Carpooling brings others into your car and that means company and conversation to enjoy along the way.
3. Get started on work
When you’re not driving, that means you can get a few dull morning tasks out of the way before you even get to the office. You can check emails, review your meeting notes, or even try out a presentation speech on your co-workers and get their feedback. You wouldn’t ever get that opportunity at all if you’re driving yourself every day.
4. Take the stress down a notch
Being the driver in heavy traffic is stressful. Having others with you, and taking a few days off from driving yourself will help you de-stress and unwind a little. It doesn’t do you any favours to be arriving at work all wound up.
5. Make your car last longer
If you cut down your driving by a big percentage, then you naturally extend its life. Cutting down on maintenance and tyre wear adds to your savings pile, and your car can retain retail value since its mileage will be lower if/when you sell. If you reduce your annual mileage, you may even gain more savings on your insurance premium.
Let’s help make Leeds a car sharing hub — we’ll cut down the traffic and emissions, have a better time on the commute, and help make our city and our lives better.