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I’m finally ready to ditch my car. Here’s how I’ll manage it

This must be how aristocrats felt about their servants: a necessary appendage to one’s lifestyle

Going car-free: The loss of convenience and worries about how to do tasks like grocery shopping, commuting to work, poor public transport and how to ferry children around are all real barriers for most people, largely because of the way our built environment has shaped our travel patterns and Ireland’s notoriously poor public transport. But there are real solutions for many of these challenges. Photograph: iStock
Sadhbh O'Neill
Tue Jul 23 2024 - 06:00

I’m about to break up with my car. It’s like breaking up with one’s washing machine or fridge. It’s hard to imagine life without these modern conveniences, and the alternatives seem, well, unattractive and involve lots of hard work, questionable hygiene standards and standing in the rain.

So, here’s the context. I live in Waterford city, and happen to have the best protected length of cycle lane in the city outside my door, which means that the first and last part of any journey by bike will always be on this stretch of safe infrastructure. Secondly, I’m living in the city centre, with an array of supermarkets and public services within easy walking distance. Third, parking on my tight cul-de-sac is a nightmare and really shouldn’t be permitted anyway as the street is too narrow, requiring vehicles to reverse out. Then there’s the fact that I’m already a keen cyclist and regularly commute to Dublin by a combination of train and bicycle.

I’m conscious that my location makes car ownership less important for me and that many readers will not be in a similar position. But for many of us, giving up the idea of car ownership is more challenging than the reality of it. Having a car feels like how 19th century aristocrats must have felt about their servants and butlers: a necessary appendage to one’s lifestyle and social status – how could one possibly manage without it? And then there are the trips that can “only” be done by car. What if I want to take a day trip to the seaside, take an elderly relative to a medical appointment, or hit an out-of-town retail park inaccessible on foot?

The crucial detail is that 200m away from my home there are shared car services for hire using a straightforward app on my smartphone. The companies offering the service – GoCar and Yuko – have been operating in Ireland for a number of years, alongside the traditional car rental companies, where the collection and dropping back of vehicles can be more restrictive. These companies offer rentals by the hour or half-day, and cars and vans can be seen in public parking spots all over the country. The services are free to sign up to, and you pay roughly €10 per hour with an additional charge of €0.50 per km over 50km travelled.

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GoCar conducted an extensive survey of public attitudes towards car ownership with Amárach Consulting earlier this year and found that 66 per cent of respondents stated that their families and friends would think them “mad” if they gave up their cars. The loss of convenience and worries about how to do tasks like grocery shopping, commuting to work, poor public transport and how to ferry children around are all real barriers for most people, largely because of the way our built environment has shaped our travel patterns and Ireland’s notoriously poor public transport.

But there are real solutions for many of these challenges. For example, GoCar has located its cars in 80 supermarkets around the country. So with a bit of forward planning, you can shop as you would normally, without the cost and hassle of owning a car. And while for many households, one car is essential, the trips made with a second car could be replaced by an e-cargo bike or pay-as-you-go service. Over the next few years, the Department of Transport plans to roll out 200 mobility hubs which will offer a range of shared travel options – including, for example, shared bikes, electric bikes or e-cars – that can be accessed in one place by people who need them and located close to other public travel hubs such as train or bus stations. Conveniently for me, Waterford will soon have one of these new mobility hubs.

When one looks at the financial case for ditching the car, the benefits are truly staggering. Most motorists are simply not aware of the cost of car ownership that is draining their bank account even when the car is sitting in the driveway. When you add up the cost of car purchase, motor tax, insurance, tolls and parking, NCT and maintenance, even the most efficient (Band A) cars cost over €6,753 to run annually, and the most expensive car up (Band F) €15,741 according to 2019 AA data. And that’s before you put any fuel in the car. GoCar estimates that motorists could save up to €500 a month by using their service instead of private car ownership, and that’s without losing any of the convenience.

The need to plan trips a little ahead and the fact that the insurance cover on car rentals and pay-as-you-go services comes with a hefty excess might put some people off. But I’m prepared to take the plunge.