Car clubs and fleet services give Co-wheels a platform for growth

From its origins operating car clubs in small towns and cities, Co-wheels has grown rapidly and now has schemes in more than 50 towns and cities. As director Pierre Fox tells Andrew Forster, the business is about much more than just traditional car clubs, with a burgeoning fleet management service too

11 December 2015

Co-wheels directors (left to right): Pierre Fox, Paul Balmont, and Richard Falconer

The provision of on-street parking bays is a crucial way in which local authorities can help car clubs grow

The UK’s car club sector has undergone rapid change in recent years, with most operators now owned by multinational vehicle rental firms: Enterprise owns City Car Club; Avis owns Zipcar; and Europcar has a majority share in E-Car Club. Yet one independent player does remain. Indeed, Co-wheels, a community interest company, boasts of being the largest operator in the UK, a claim based on its geographic coverage – it operates clubs in more than 50 locations across England and Scotland...