"Zipcar, a US-based company which is owned by car rental giant Avis Budget, said it had informed its UK members of the closure and had begun a formal consultation. "As part of this proposal, new bookings in the UK will be suspended beyond 31 December 2025, subject to the outcome of the consultation," Zipcar said. "Zipcar UK will continue to operate as usual during this period," a spokesperson said, adding it recognised the impact the proposal would have on its members, employees and partners."
""If people like me didn't have access to Zipcar, we would have to consider buying a car," says John Sinha, who has been using the car-sharing service fortnightly for his business for about five years. Mr Sinha, from Haringey, said he used the service to transport fragile objects, such as 3D printers, for his business. "I normally use a bike to move around London, but sometimes, when carrying bulky or delicate objects, I need to have a car," he said."
""The thing about Zipcar, is it's everywhere. You can find a car, you can book it on the app, there are even flex trips so you can take a car from one area and leave it in another area," he said. "It offers huge flexibility, and it's almost as good as owning a car. Removing that is going to work against the stated policies of the mayor.""
Zipcar has proposed suspending new UK bookings beyond 31 December 2025 and begun a formal consultation while continuing operations during the process. The company is owned by Avis Budget and has informed UK members of the proposed closure. Regular users rely on the service for occasional needs like transporting fragile or bulky items that are difficult to carry by bike. Concerns include potential increases in private car purchases, greater demand for parking and higher congestion. A petition has been launched urging London’s mayor to consider public ownership to preserve car-sharing flexibility and sustainability benefits.
Read at www.bbc.com
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