BT encourages companies to look at car sharing

BT encourages companies to look at car sharing

UK businesses are being encouraged to implement car-sharing schemes for their staff after BT revealed that its own scheme had proved a hit with staff, with more than 1,000 people already registered and reaping the environmental benefits.

In December 2005, BT teamed up with car-sharing pioneers liftshare to develop a scheme for its 90,000-strong UK-based workforce. The liftshare matching service puts BT people travelling in the same direction, or to a similar destination, in contact with each other so they can arrange to travel together and share the costs.

A typical daily car-sharer reduces their annual carbon footprint by up to a tonne of CO2, and gives savings of up to £1,000 each on transport costs. By reducing the overall number of cars on the road, there is also less congestion and fewer problems with parking. Simon Paul, BT Group environment manager, said: “Sharing travel by car to and from work, or to meetings and business events, has already helped BT people make a contribution to reducing CO2 emissions and other related environmental impacts, as well as substantially reducing the cost of their motoring.

“The success of BT’s car-sharing scheme has shown that there is great scope for UK companies of all sizes to implement their own – a win for the environment and a great way of saving money for passengers and drivers alike. If just half of UK motorists received a lift one day a week, congestion and pollution would be reduced by ten per cent.”

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