Charlotte Morton, founder and MD of WhizzGo, at the launch of the Car Club in York
WhizzGo “Drive off – Drop off” Car Club Arrives in York
25 September 2006
WhizzGo, in partnership with City of York Council, has launched the city’s first Pay By the Hour cars. The new scheme aims to reduce congestion and provide a simple cost-effective way to travel, while at the same time integrating with the local public transport network.
WhizzGo York launched with an initial fleet of seven low-emission Citroen vehicles, which will be rapidly expanded as members increase. The cars, which are Citroen C3 hatchbacks and Picasso MPVs, will be located in council car parks and on-street.
Saving time, money and the environment, using a WhizzGo car costs no more than £4.95 per hour and this cost includes fully comprehensive insurance, 30 free miles a day and 24 hour breakdown assistance. For a whole day’s use the cost is reduced to £35 – that’s £1.46 per hour for 24 hours. All the cars have been sourced from local Citroen dealers reinforcing WhizzGo’s policy to work alongside local business and authorities.
Founder Charlotte Morton’s passion for the environment is the driving force behind WhizzGo and speaking at the York launch she said:
“We are delighted to bring WhizzGo to York. It is, in our opinion, the best way for drivers to save money and the environment at the same time. We hope the people of York will embrace the concept and follow the success we have had across the UK in reducing congestion and pollution and making a definitive change to Britain’s driving culture.”
Richard Bogg of City of York Council said:
“We see car clubs as a vital part of tackling congestion in York and reducing the demand for residential parking. They offer practical, cost-effective access to a car when needed, complementing public transport, walking and cycling.
“We are looking forward to working in partnership with WhizzGo to develop car club provision across the area over the next five years. Club cars will be introduced within several new housing developments and it is anticipated that they will prove an attractive option for a range of businesses. York’s club will be linked to a project that will measure the environmental benefits of car club use, and also work alongside an initiative to bring a network of cycle hire points across the city.”
Parking is made hassle-free with dedicated WhizzGo bays within the city centre close to public transport links. Booking a car is easy, simply call or register online up to 30 seconds before you want one. There’s no need to travel to a hire company depot, no queuing for service or the inconvenience of 24-hour minimum rentals - you only pay for the time you need. There are also special rates for businesses of all sizes and regular users can save up to 15% on Pay By The Hour rates.
To sign up to WhizzGo is simple. Register by going online to www.WhizzGo.co.uk and pay a one-off £25 membership fee and a fully refundable insurance deposit of £125. There is no annual or monthly membership charge and evening and weekend rates are significantly reduced (eg. £20 overnight from 7pm to 7am). Once you are a member, you can pick up your car at any time of the day or night – and the cars cost you nothing when they’re not being used.
Saving time, money and the environment, using a WhizzGo car could save you over £2,500 a year taking into account depreciation, finance agreements, insurance and tax, and that’s before you’ve bought any petrol. The same figure could buy over 600 hours of WhizzGo car time, or 12 hours a week.
WhizzGo also operates in Liverpool, Leeds, London, Brighton & Hove and Southampton - and other UK cities shortly.
