Speaking as he launched Car Share Day 2008 at Queen’s University, the minister praised the University for its efforts in joining forces with Travelwise NI to encourage more commuters to car-share.
The Minister said: "Since Queen's set up its Car-Share Club, it already has 144 registered members and has saved 62,546 miles of travel equating to £6,255 and 19 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
"The University’s pro-active approach to sustainable travel is evidenced through its implementation of an institutional Travel Plan in 2005. The Travel Plan aims to promote all forms of sustainable travel of which car sharing is a key component.
"Not only is the support of Queen’s University, as a major local employer, extremely important but it will also help to alert more young people, in particular, to the growing importance of sustainable transport in today’s society.
“Commuters are spending more and more time in their vehicles due to traffic congestion so there is a real and urgent need to reduce the volume of cars on our roads. This event aims to show that car-sharing can help cut traffic levels and journey times as well as reduce the negative environmental and financial impact of car travel. I would strongly encourage employers and commuters to take advantage of these benefits and set-up their own car-share schemes.”
Queen’s University President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Gregson said he hoped the launch would boost student and staff participation levels in the car-share scheme.
"Queen’s is committed to the principle of sustainable travel. Since the University’s Travel Plan was approved in 2005, the numbers of staff and students using sustainable modes of transport, such as cycling and walking, have increased significantly. One of the most effective ways of contributing to sustainable travel is through car sharing, and the University is delighted to support Northern Ireland Car Share Day 2008.”
Queen’s Students’ Union President John Roger said that the case for car-sharing was very convincing and that students needed to be persuaded of its benefits to encourage higher participation levels. He said: “Many students rely on cars to commute to and from Queen’s, citing reliability, flexibility and safety as key reasons why they choose this particular mode of transport. Increased tuition fees, rent and bills have forced more students to remain at home with parents and increased their need for a reliable form of transport to get to lectures on time.
“These factors, coupled with pressure on parking space in South Belfast, mean that they are very keen to encourage more students to find car-share partners and to get across the message that car-sharing has many benefits. Not only can it help students to save time and money but it will also have a major positive impact on our environment.”
For further information on the Travelwise Car-Share Scheme telephone. 0845 378 0908 or register your details at the Carshare Northern Ireland website
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Notes to Editors
- Media opportunity: Transport Minister Conor Murphy and Queen’s VC Professor Peter Gregson will be available for media interview and photocall at the launch of Car-Share Day 2008. Other interviewees include QUB Transport Co-ordinator, President of QUB Student’s Union and students.
- Date: Thursday 10th April 2008
Time: 10.00 – 10.30am
Venue: Front of Queen’s University Lanyon Building, University Road, Belfast - The QUB online Car Share Scheme was launched in 2005. The online Travelwise NI Car Share Scheme was piloted within the NI Civil Service in June 2005 and launched to the general public in April 2006.
- Currently there are over 2300 members registered on the Travelwise NI Car-Share website which has a 54% match rate making it one of the most successful car share schemes in the UK and Ireland.
- Media enquires to: Ross Williamson or Ursula Kelleher at Inform Communications Tel (028) 9023 3550 or 07734821070 (RW)/07739 420949 (UK) or Emma Flynn Davies, Press Office, Department for Regional Development, Tel: 028 9054 0372 .
