I'm finally ready to give up my car. Here's how I'm going to do it

I am about to break up with my car. It is like breaking up with your washing machine or your refrigerator. It is hard to imagine life without these modern conveniences, and the alternatives seem unattractive and involve a lot of work, questionable hygiene standards and hours of work in the rain.

So here’s the background. I live in Waterford city and I happen to have the best protected cycle lane in the city, right on my doorstep, meaning that the first and last legs of any cycle journey will always be on this stretch of secure infrastructure. Secondly, I live in the city centre, with a range of supermarkets and public amenities within a few minutes’ walk. Thirdly, parking in my narrow cul-de-sac is a nightmare and shouldn’t be allowed anyway as the street is too narrow, forcing vehicles to reverse. Then there’s the fact that I’m already a keen cyclist and regularly commute to Dublin by train and bike.

I realize that my location makes car ownership less important to me, and that many readers will not be in a similar situation. But for many of us, giving up the car idea Car ownership is harder than reality. Having a car is a bit like what 19th-century aristocrats felt about their servants and butlers: an indispensable accessory to their lifestyle and social status – how could anyone live without one? And then there are the trips that can “only” be made by car. What if I want to take a day trip to the seaside, take an elderly relative to a doctor’s appointment, or go to a shopping mall outside of town that is inaccessible on foot?

The crucial detail is that 200 metres from my house there are carpooling services that I can hire via a simple app on my smartphone. The companies that offer this service – GoCar and Yuko – have been operating in Ireland for several years, alongside traditional car hire companies, where pick-up and drop-off can be more restrictive. These companies offer hourly or half-day rentals, and the cars and vans are visible in public car parks all over the country. Signing up for these services is free and you pay around €10 per hour, plus a surcharge of €0.50 per km after 50 km travelled.

Earlier this year, GoCar conducted a major survey of public attitudes towards car ownership with Amárach Consulting. It found that 66% of respondents said their family and friends would think they were “crazy” if they gave up their car. Loss of convenience and concerns about how to carry out tasks such as shopping, commuting, poor public transport and how to transport children are all real barriers for most people, largely due to the way our built environment has shaped our travel habits and Ireland’s notoriously poor public transport.

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

When you consider the financial benefits of giving up your car, the benefits are truly staggering. Most motorists are simply unaware of the cost of owning a car that drains their bank account even when the car is parked in the driveway. When you add up the cost of buying the car, car tax, insurance, tolls and parking, NCT and maintenance, even the most efficient cars (Band A) cost over £6,753 per year, and the most expensive car (Band F) £15,741 according to AA data from 2019. And that’s before putting fuel in the car. GoCar estimates that motorists could save up to £500 per month by using their service instead of owning a private car, and that’s without sacrificing any of the comfort.

The need to plan trips a little in advance and the fact that insurance coverage for car rentals and a la carte services comes with a high excess may put some people off. But I’m willing to take the plunge.