Transport MK

Why Should I Car Share, What's in it for Me?

Well if you want to park free whilst your colleagues pay – CARSHAREMK is the answer.

If you want to have access to more parking bays than your colleagues – CARSHAREMK is the answer. An additional 400 ‘Car Share Only’ bays will be at your disposal.

If you want to find parking easy, whilst your colleagues drive round in circles looking for a vacant bay CARSHAREMK is the answer.

If you want to park in prime locations CARSHAREMK is the answer.

If you want to save money – CARSHAREMK is the answer. Your commuting costs will fall by at least 50%. That is at least half your current commuting costs saved. What will you do with your savings? Perhaps a night out each month, or an extra holiday.
Remember a journey shared is a journey halved! minimum!

Cost Comparator
Ever wondered how much your car costs you to run? With our new on line calculator system you can work it out very quickly and easily.
On Line Calculator System

What will you talk about on the way to work? Car Sharing can be an enjoyable and social experience. It certainly beats gripping the wheel looking at the brake lights of the car in front. There are also health benefits. Research suggests that Car Sharers arrive at work relaxed and unstressed – not the case with many of your non-car share colleagues perhaps, especially after they have spent time riding round in circles looking for a parking place for which they then have to PAY.


Car Sharers also benefit from discounted bus travel saving as much 70% on MK Metro services. Yet another free benefit your non-car share colleagues won’t enjoy!

Further benefits are currently being negotiated. Just wait and see what your non-car share colleagues - won’t enjoy!

So what are the costs? What have I to lose?
Car Share permits are free to qualifying applicants. So no cost there then! The only cost is an annual club membership fee of £30 for CMK employees and £60 for outward rail commuters, chargable from 1st April 2010

You may make new friends. Equally you may have to consider others. Are you big enough?

So what are the environmental costs? Well there aren’t any costs, just gains.

In environmental terms you can hold your head high – you are doing your bit and being well rewarded.


How will the CARSHAREMK scheme work?
Simple really – successful applicants will join our CARSHAREMK database and from the information you give we’ll match you up with one or more other applicants that fit the same or similar criteria. You will then be advised of potential matches and all the parties involved will be provided with a work or home telephone number (as specified on your application) for the other parties. The applicants can then arrange to make contact and once you’ve all agreed that a match is a success you’ll receive your CARSHAREMK membership pack that will entitle you to all the benefits outlined above and many more yet to be announced.

Each successful applicant will be issued with a permit initially and a membership card after three months. The permit will include the registration number of up to two vehicles plus a unique identity number. On the reverse of the membership card will be a photograph of the member, this allows the member to access other benefits such as discounted bus travel. A minimum of two permits will need to be displayed in the windscreen to qualify for free parking in any standard rate parking bay or in the designated Car Share bays. The registration number of the vehicle being parking must be included among those displayed on the permits in the windscreen.

Q. Do I need to own a car?
A. NO you need to specify on your application you wish to be considered as a passenger only.

Q. Can two or more people that already know each other register for CARSHAREMK?
A. Yes just so long as the proposed journey makes sense in environmental terms, for example it would not be logical to team up someone from Bletchley with someone from Newport Pagnell.

Q. Can two or more people from the same address register for CARSHAREMK?
A. Yes, even family.

Q. If I drop my partner off at one end of CMK and park at the other how will you know if I am Car Sharing?
A. Because all permits are linked and your permit numbers provide access to the computerised data on your place of work etc.

Q. How will you police the scheme?
A. The Council’s contracted wardens will police the scheme they will also be supported by CARSHAREMK staff. There will be considerable monitoring of usage and parking habits.

Q. What are the penalties for misuse?
A. The ultimate penalty is eviction from CARSHAREMK since this will incur considerable cost in terms of parking charges and lost benefits. Other penalties include an automatic £60 fine if a car is involved. If the permit is being used to gain some benefit to which the user would not otherwise be entitled then a criminal act of fraud would have been committed and criminal prosecution would be the penalty.

Q. What will I need to produce to gain a permit? .
A. If you are registering as a car driver a vehicle logbook (or copy) registered at the same address as specified on the application form. Proof of employment status in CMK (or other designated site) this could take the form of a wage slip or a letter from your employer. A wage slip will not be acceptable if your employer operates from more than one site in MK. For outward rail commuters a copy of your rail season ticket and MKC council tax bill will also be rerquired.

Q. Can we use different cars on different days?
A. Yes, this is probably a very good way of sharing the motoring costs across the members of your Car Share group. Each member takes a turn at providing the transport for the group thereby spreading the costs equally. Whatever car is used it must be registered and its registration number must be included on one of the permits displayed in the windscreen.

How do I qualify for CARSHAREMK?
There are a few basic criteria that need to be fulfilled in order for you to qualify for CARSHAREMK. Firstly you need to be employed within CMK (or other designated site) or be an outward rail commuter from CMK rail station. Secondly we need to find you an acceptable Car Share partner or partners

What about the insurance implications with CARSHAREMK?
As long as you're not using CARSHAREMK as a business there are none. You can accept payment from your sharers if you are giving them a lift for social or similar purposes. Your insurance will not be affected if:

1. your vehicle cannot carry more than nine people including the driver

2. you are not carrying passengers in the course of a business of carrying passengers

3. the total of any payments you receive for the journey does not provide a profit.

Plus
We recommend you inform your insurers that you are part of the CARSHAREMK scheme.

What are you waiting for?
Apply now!

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