Business has performed poorly in the Government’s first survey into car sharing.

Almost two-thirds (61%) of the population surveyed by the Department for Transport had taken part in some form of car sharing in the past month – by either giving or receiving a lift. However, only 25% of those who received a lift in the last month did so for work or business reasons and only 1% of the total said they were part of a formal lift-sharing scheme run by their employer or another organisation.

Transport minister Rosie Winterton said: “While this research shows that informal car sharing is popular, it highlights that formal schemes run by employers are still in a small minority.

“I encourage employers to consider whether introducing a car-sharing scheme for their organisation could help them reduce their carbon footprint and provide quicker, more convenient journeys for staff.”