UNCONVENTIONAL AND COMMUNITY TRANSPORT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. CHAPTER 11. COMMUNITY TRANSPORT - CAR SCHEMES

The concept of the 'social car' and its role as an unconventional mode of public transport/community transport is discussed. The development of social car schemes in rural areas is outlined with examples from Clwyd and Shropshire and RUTEX projects in North Yorkshire, Devon and Dyfed. Schemes proliferated in the 1970s and the situation at the end of 1985 is illustrated by a map. The effect of bus deregulation in 1985 is considered. Data on passenger levels is presented and discussed. Social car trip patterns are examined. Many have restrictive eligibility conditions with the result that journeys are for essential purposes rather than general mobility. The distribution of schemes and characteristics of volunteers are discussed. The economics of social car schemes are considered. With an average of 1.3 passengers per journey it is an expensive mode of transport. Other modes based on private cars are considered including car-sharing and car-pooling, hospital and social service cars and shared car ownership. For the covering abstract of the book see IRRD 853027.