PHOTOGRAPHIC INDUSTRY DRIVES DOWN COSTS WITH STREETCAR

The photographic industry has become one of the fastest to adopt the car club concept, according to new figures from Streetcar for Business, the UK’s largest pay as you go car hire service dedicated to the corporate community. Part of the highly successful Streetcar (http://www.streetcar.com) brand, the corporate scheme offers a diverse fleet of BMWs, VW Golfs, Polos and Transporter vans and has seen membership soar from 900 to almost 2100 in the last year as organisations choose the service as an alternative to managing their own fleet or using private hire vehicles. In particular, the number of companies from the photographic sector that have signed up to Streetcar for Business has increased fivefold in a year, as many search for a way to cut costs through the recession. Commenting on the sector-specific rise, Brett Akker, Streetcar’s co-founder, said: “It’s clear that the current economic climate has forced many companies in the photographic industry to look for innovative ways to cut costs. Streetcar gives businesses flexible and immediate access to a range of new vehicles, cutting out the admin and maintenance overheads associated with running their own transport and affording them significant savings.” Streetcar offers businesses 24/7 access to vehicles on an hourly basis from as little as £4.21 per hour. As well as the cost savings1, corporate use of car clubs has been shown to help companies cut their carbon footprint2, as well as reduce administration and the risks associated with in-house vehicle maintenance and safety. Sam Faulkner, a London based photographer said: " I love the flexibility that streetcar gives me. When I am abroad on assignment I don't have to worry about keeping a vehicle on the street. With the nearest Streetcar parked just outside my studio, I can load kit straight into the car and getting out of town for jobs is quick and easy. Since joining I have found that we work more efficiently- we are more likely to combine a number of errands around town into one trip; this saves us time and has really reduced our mileage.” In the residential community, Streetcar has become an increasingly popular alternative to traditional car ownership. Consumer membership has more than doubled in just over 12 months to over 75,000 and is expected to rise to 250,000 by 20123. The scheme boasts over 1000 locations across seven cities; London, Brighton, Cambridge, Southampton, Guildford, Maidstone and Oxford. The company is planning to launch in Bristol in March. -Ends- For all media enquiries, please contact Louise Evans or Charlotte Maule on 01252 725346 or 07891 242476 (out-of-hours)

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