Oxfordshire County Council has announced that, following a successful trial, the Co Wheels Car Club vehicles that were placed in various locations across the district are to remain – including in Eynsham.
The EV Co Wheels car club trial ran in selected locations in Oxfordshire from April 2023 for one year, before being extended for a further six months. Now complete, the trial has been deemed a success and the County Council has confirmed that 15 vehicles will remain in 10 locations over the longer term.
The chosen locations include Eynsham, Witney, Abingdon, Oxford and Henley, with the vehicles parked at EV charge points to allow for re-charging before and after use. Our vehicle is parked in Back Lane where there are a number of charge points.
While funding challenges means that some electric vehicles (EV) are being replaced with hybrid vehicles, Eynsham will be retaining the EV courtesy of County Council funding directed by our local Councillor Dan Levy. “I was pleased to able to direct the money to keep the service going” he said, adding:
“I am part of a County Council administration that is determined to do our bit to combat the climate crisis. Eynsham is a place where many households don't yet have access to on-street charging; we are working on plans for that. In the meantime, it’s great for residents to have access to an electric vehicle when they want it. And, given the public transport facilities here – with many people able to get where they need to by bus or bike and by train – having a local car club reduces the need to buy a car just for occasional journeys.”
We’d encourage residents who haven’t already to try out the Co Wheels vehicle. One of our Parish Councillors Tricia tried it out and said:
"Driving a shared EV was a new experience for me. EVs are a delight to drive and the car sharing works well for me. It's a bit strange at first, getting accustomed to a different way of moving about, but it's worth the effort!"
Eynsham currently has a hybrid vehicle, but this will be swapped back to a fully-electric vehicle in early 2025. To use the Co Wheels car, simply visit the Co Wheels website and book your slot: Eynsham | Co Wheels
Find out more about the Car Club scheme and the location of other vehicles – and EV charge points beyond Eynsham – on the County Council website: https://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/car-clubs-to-continue/
*SPECIAL OFFER UNTIL END DECEMBER 2024*Use the code XMASTREAT when registering as a member on Co Wheels to avoid paying the £25 joining fee.