- Scheme run by Bluecity – only company operating a pan-London 100% electric vehicle car sharing service – with over 300 pickup/ drop off points
- Ten cars based at Gatwick, with additional capacity ring fenced and ambitious plans to expand the network across London and surrounding areas
- Vehicles produce zero emissions supporting Gatwick’s carbon neutral status
GATWICK, UK, 2018-Jul-20 — /Travel PR News/ — In a UK airport first, passengers, staff and local residents can now reserve and pick up a 100% electric car at Gatwick – and return it to any of 300 compatible pick up/ drop off points across London or back at Gatwick – the airport announced today (19/07/2018).
The service – similar to schemes popular in other parts of the world – is being rolled out in partnership with Bluecity, the only company to operate a pan-London electric vehicle car sharing service with 100 cars currently available in total. Discussions are also ongoing with local authorities and business groups about expanding the network further in London and in areas surrounding the airport.
Operating in a similar way to existing cycle schemes across the capital, ten cars and charging points are currently available on Gatwick’s South Terminal forecourt. This is Bluecity’s first airport hub and discussions are in progress to increase capacity.
The new point to point service gives people using the airport a convenient, zero emissions travel option for getting directly on and off the airport and is purposely designed to be easy to locate and use, with customers able to reserve a car in seconds via the Bluecity app.
Local residents are also encouraged to use the service and Gatwick staff have also been offered the opportunity to trial the service for free
A standard journey in a Bluecity car from central London is also an affordable travel option to the airport. The four-seater’s drive from Central London to the very front of the airport will cost around £15 in moderate traffic.
The service is also flexible and works both ways, so that those travelling to Gatwick from the capital can pick up a car at any of the London-based charging points and drop it off at the airport.
Car sharing is also growing in popularity in the UK and this new partnership represents another first in Gatwick’s journey to be the UK’s most sustainable airport. Gatwick is accredited as a carbon neutral airport, uses 100% renewable electricity and 44% of passengers currently get to the airport by public transport.
The 24,000 staff on Gatwick’s airport campus and local residents are also being encouraged to use the new electric car sharing service.
Gatwick Airport’s Chief Commercial Officer Guy Stephenson said:
“Gatwick leads the way on airport innovation and this UK airport first not only offers a new, flexible option for getting on and off the airport, it also improves air quality.
“When it comes to electric car sharing schemes, few companies have experienced the success of Bluecity and its parent company. Given the popular demand for similar electric car sharing services in other parts of the world, this new service has the potential to take off in the UK and we are proud to be at the forefront of this transport revolution.”
Bluecity’s Managing Director Christophe Arnaud said:
“We are particularly proud of this milestone agreement with Gatwick Airport and look forward to our collaboration for years to come. We believe this new service is a fantastic solution for travellers. Our cars are powered exclusively with 100% renewable energy making the service the greenest and most affordable transport option to and from Central London.”
About Bluecity
Bluecity is London’s first point to point car sharing system powered exclusively with 100% green energy. We offer Londoners the opportunity to use an electric vehicle for as little or as long as they need to without bearing the ownership costs. Bluecity members also have the certainty of contributing positively to London’s air quality. All cars are equipped with a GPS, an on-board computer and a help button to a 24/7 help line.
For more information: www.blue-city.co.uk/
About London Gatwick
Gatwick Airport is the UK’s second largest airport and the most efficient single-runway airport in the world. It serves more than 228 destinations in 74 countries for 45 million passengers a year on short and long-haul point-to-point services. It is also a major economic driver for the UK contributing £5.3 billion to national GDP and generating 85,000 jobs nationally, with around 24,000 on the wider airport campus alone. The airport is south of Central London with excellent public transport links, including the Gatwick Express, and is part of the Oyster contactless payment network. Gatwick Airport is owned by a group of international investment funds, of which Global Infrastructure Partners is the largest shareholder.
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Source: GATWICK AIRPORT