WhizzGo happy with start

9:48pm Friday 20th June 2008

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A PAY-as-you-go car club says it has enjoyed a good start in Winchester since its launch last month (May).

WhizzGo, which has four low-emission vehicles dotted around the city, said it has already netted 20 bookings, despite only operating in Winchester for six weeks.

The club's 20 registered Winchester customers pay an annual membership fee of £49.50 and then around £5 an hour for use of a car, which includes insurance and 30 free miles a day.

Liz Hickey, WhizzGo's area manager for the south coast, said she was "pleased" with the company's start in Winchester.

She added: "Considering we've only been there a few months, that's good for us. To be honest it compares well with other cities - people in Winchester seem to be more open to the idea and are concerned about their carbon footprint.

"It's such a compact city, you don't need to own a car and that naturally bodes well for us. Obviously the cost of owning a car is so expensive, so we can save people a lot of money on that front."

A spokesman for Winchester City Council, who are set to sign up as corporate members of the scheme, said: "This is just one of the many ways in which the city council is trying to encourage a greener approach to transport.

"It provides an excellent opportunity for residents to explore an alternative and, in the long-run, more environmentally friendly way of getting out-and-about."

The company has vehicles at car parks in Colebrook Street and Middle Brook Street, next to the Discovery Centre in Jewry Street and near Winchester Railway Station in Gladstone Street.

It operates in 14 other UK cities, including Southampton. For more information, visit www.whizzgo.co.uk.

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