FRIDAY 12TH FEBRUARY 2010
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) has launched a prize draw to mark the first birthday of its JourneyShare scheme and encourage even more people to sign up.
The website turns one year old on February 18. To celebrate the event everyone who registers online before the end of this month will be entered into a prize draw and could win one of four £50 Halfords vouchers.
SPT JourneyShare has more than 2,500 individual members and 16 businesses/organisations signed up so far. It can be accessed at www.sptjourneyshare.co.uk and puts users in touch with people who wish to share a car (as driver or passenger), bike, walk or taxi to a similar destination.
In addition to running the regional site, SPT helps organisations and businesses set up their own in-house versions of JourneyShare for staff. These have been established by several local councils; Langside College; the University of Glasgow; Braehead and Glasgow Fort shopping centres; Glasgow International Airport; Strathclyde’s NHS boards and many more.
Benefits for users include saving money, reducing carbon emissions, freeing-up parking spaces, reducing traffic congestion and meeting new people. Research has shown the average car-sharer saves £1,000 a year.
PhD student Stuart McIntyre has found JourneyShare invaluable when travelling from his home in Uddingston to the University of Glasgow.
He explains: "I’ve been sharing a lift with my colleague Barry for four months now. JourneyShare has given me a cheap, convenient way to get to work. I can leave home when I want and have door-to-door transport. It's also less stressful as I don't have to worry about finding a parking space.
"Barry and I didn't know each other before, so JourneyShare has given us both the opportunity to meet colleagues we wouldn't normally work with. Ultimately the best thing is the money we save. Barry does the driving using his car and I repay him by paying for some of his guitar and piano lessons."
SPT Travel Plan Officer Clare Strain said: “I’m delighted that JourneyShare is one year old and has achieved so much in this short time. We are dedicated to joining up journeys for the people of Strathclyde, not only through public transport, but through innovative schemes such as this.
“It is a fantastic resource that has obvious benefits for everyone involved as well as our environment. We hope our prize draw will encourage even more individuals and business groups to give car-sharing a go in 2010.”
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Further information: Jennifer Brophy
SPT Media Office
Tel: 0141 333 3384 / 07891 747932
