A StreetCar in action!

I drove to work in Huntingdon every day, but now my work is in Cambridge. I kept the car and used it for occasional trips and shopping.  But mostly I cycled, and why not: fresh air, exercise, no parking problems or parking charges and, actually, just as quick round town. I’m a City Councillor for Romsey Town and I’d heard about the car club, how it could save money, release parking spaces on our crowded streets, reduce carbon emissions: but it hadn’t clicked. Then one day, during the winter I went to use the car, I cleared off the snow and got in. As I was about to start it I suddenly realised that I hadn’t used it for a while. Would it start? Well it did and off I went, but it was that day I realised I didn’t need the trouble of owning a car.

Later, having made a call and signed up, received my card through the post and made my first booking, I approached the car feeling plain wrong: I had no keys! I used my smart card and the car woke up and let me in. I entered my PIN, took the keys from the slot and drove off.  Actually there’s a bit of pleasure there: the Streetcars are all new compared to my old car. After a couple of bookings it became second nature to pick up a car and just drive off.

No insurance, tax, MOT, repairs or vandal damage to worry about. No saving up for a new car or paying off that loan. I guess I’m saving £1200 a year, maybe more. Also it benefits my neighbours by reducing parking pressure in my street.

People are sometimes surprised that I don’t have a car and have all sorts of objections like “What do you have to take your holiday luggage to the airport by train?” Well, actually, I can afford to take a taxi to the airport and I’m still ££’s ahead!

Paul Saunders, Romsey Town