One-way car-sharing service being trialled at Heathrow

Zipcar Flex is currently being piloted at London Heathrow T5 for 90 days, with an aim to help make airport journeys cheaper, easier and more sustainable.

The pilot allows Zipcar members to drive one-way between London and Heathrow T5 in a Zipcar Flex vehicle. Members can pick up or drop off cars in a choice from thousands of approved parking bays in ‘Zipzones’ across the capital and dedicated spaces at T5’s Short Stay Car Park. 

Jonathan Hampson, General Manager Zipcar UK, commented: “As Londoners and travellers know, getting to and from a London airport can be stressful and expensive. By introducing Zipcar Flex at Heathrow Terminal 5 we aim to change all that. We want to make it easier, more efficient and also more cost effective for both business and leisure travellers to get to and from their destinations.”

Zipcar Flex cars are booked, unlocked and accessed in a few minutes using the Zipcar app. The ease and convenience of Zipcar Flex is expected to help reduce the stress and cost usually associated with airport transfers.

The table below illustrates how Zipcar Flex compares on price, based on a 60-minute trip via M4 between LHR Terminal 5 and East Dulwich, London SE22 8EF: 22.2 miles.

The scheme is also expected to help alleviate traffic, congestion and road emissions at Heathrow and across London. One-way car sharing trips are more efficient than the ‘empty miles’ being driven by cabs and ride-hailing cars looking for fares in the area.

Following a successful launch in 2017, Zipcar Flex is now available in Wandsworth, Merton, Lambeth, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Hackney, Waltham Forest and Islington.

Fiona Carleton, Future Heathrow Director, said: “We are delighted to be launching this pilot with Zipcar, offering more transport choices to our passengers. This trial will help us deliver our ambition to reduce the number of vehicles on local roads, which along with other measures we are taking to address road emissions, will go a long way in improving our local air quality and the quality of life of our neighbours.”