Insight Article

Transport Select Committee Briefing: UK Carpooling

With Ali Clabburn, Founder of Mobilityways

Mobilityways’ Founder Ali Clabburn appeared before the Transport Select Committee at Westminster on 3 September 2025, presenting oral evidence in a session on “Car clubs and car sharing” alongside leaders from CoMoUK and Zipcar UK. He made a compelling case for carpooling as a critical lever in tackling congestion, emissions, and commuting inefficiency. Take a look at some of the key points raised below.

▶ Watch the full session here

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Current Landscape

Car occupancy in the UK averages just 1.55 people per vehicle, and falls to 1.15 on commuter journeys, the lowest in Europe. However, without carpooling already taking place, UK traffic would be 30% higher. Each 1% increase in occupancy saves 7 billion car kilometres and 1.5 million tonnes of CO₂. If occupancy grew by 1% annually, traffic and transport emissions would fall by 20% by 2045.

Currently, 3 million people carpool to work – more than those who travel by train (1.4 million) or bus (2 million). The average emissions for someone carpooling are just 83g of CO₂ per passenger-km, lower than the bus average of 101g of CO₂.

Each 1% increase in occupancy saves 7 billion car kilometres and 1.5 million tonnes of CO₂. If occupancy grew by 1% annually, traffic and transport emissions would fall by 20% by 2045.

The Mobilityways Contribution

Liftshare, now Mobilityways, was founded in 1998. Since then, over 1.2 million people have joined public Liftshare or signed up to a private carpooling community, saving 1 billion car miles to date.

Mobilityways also manages over 800 employer Liftshare communities. At Bentley, 971 colleagues formed 348 carpooling teams in 2024, saving 205,000 miles, 40 tonnes of CO₂, and £60,000. Similar communities at local councils, airports and NHS hospitals show measurable reductions in emissions, costs, and parking demand.

Missed Opportunities

Despite these benefits, UK policy support has lagged. During COVID-19, carpooling faced stricter restrictions than public transport and received no recovery funding, leading to an 87% decline in new Liftshare teams in 2021/22. Local authority communities have since fallen by 60%, with only 40 councils still active compared to 170 in the mid-2000s.

Unlike France, Italy, the Netherlands, and the US, the UK has no national carpooling targets, funding streams, or incentives. Below are a few examples from those countries and what they are doing to encourage carpooling:

France: €150m annual budget for carpooling, with cash incentives for drivers, employer subsidies, and new carpool lanes monitored by AI cameras. The aim is for 3m daily shared trips, cutting 3m tonnes of CO₂ annually.
Italy: Established a National Observatory on Corporate Carpooling; saw a 71% increase in company carpooling trips in 2024.
Netherlands: Mandates employer commuting data reporting, offers subsidies, and prioritises smart infrastructure over road expansion.
US & Canada: High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, parking cash-out schemes, and tax incentives have consistently boosted carpooling and reduced solo driving.

During COVID-19, carpooling faced stricter restrictions than public transport and received no recovery funding, leading to an 87% decline in new Liftshare teams in 2021/22.

What the UK Needs

The UK was once a world leader in carpooling innovation but risks falling behind. To unlock carpooling’s full potential, the UK government must:

Prioritise infrastructure – HOV lanes, priority parking, and digital platforms.
Empower employers – with grants, tax relief, and behavioural incentives.
Link to climate goals – making carpooling part of Net Zero and carbon credit frameworks.
Support local authorities – mandating car occupancy targets and providing ring-fenced funding.
Launch national campaigns – reframing carpooling as a smart, social, low-carbon choice.

Download Ali’s full briefing paper

Read more about the role of central government, local authorities and employers, plus further detail about the example other countries are setting, in the full briefing document.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL BRIEFING PAPER