Zipcar ceases operations in London

The closure of Zipcar is a major blow to the capital and the sector.

Car clubs have been proven to cut the overall number of cars on the road, provide low-cost access to vehicles when they are needed, and support public transport and active travel.

CoMoUK has pulled together this list of other operators' coverage and we are working hard with all stakeholders to increase this coverage.

Users loading a Zipcar vehicle
Enterprise Car Club vehicle being enteredMustart coloured Hiyacar vehicle parked in LondonCouple getting into car club vehicle

Alternative shared car options

While boroughs arrange for new operators to take the place of Zipcar, there will likely be a period with fewer car club vehicles available.

In the interim the following car club or peer-to-peer operators may have vehicles available in your borough. These can be found on our interactive map below, or by visiting their websites.

Car clubs

Website iconFacebook iconInstagram iconX (Twitter) iconLinkedIn icon
Barking and Dagenham
*
Barnet
*
Brent
*
Camden
*
City of Westminster
*
Croydon
*
Ealing
*
Enfield
*
Greenwich
*
Hackney
*
Hammersmith and Fulham
*
Haringey
*
Harrow
*
Hillingdon
*
Hounslow
*
Kensington and Chelsea
*
Lambeth
*
Lewisham
*
Merton
*
Newham
*
Richmond upon Thames
*
Southwark
*
Tower Hamlets
*
Waltham Forest
*
Wandsworth
*
Website iconFacebook iconInstagram iconX (Twitter) iconLinkedIn icon
Hackney
*
Haringey
*
Harrow
*
Islington
*
Lewisham
*
Southwark
*
Tower Hamlets
*
Wandsworth
*
Website iconFacebook iconInstagram iconX (Twitter) iconLinkedIn icon
Greenwich
*
Redbridge
*
Wandsworth
*
* limited services

Peer-to-peer platforms

Borough plans to develop car club provision

Current offers

Use code WELCOME50 to access £50 free driving credit and no monthly fee for just £1 joining fee on the Basic Membership Plan.

Terms: *Valid for new members only on the Basic Membership Plan. Driving credit is applicable on hire time only and is valid for 1 year from account verification. Offer expires midnight 31/12/26.

Use code 'SWITCH50' to access a saving of 50% when you join Enterprise Car Club Standard Annual Plan (usually & thereafter £60/year).

*Standard Annual Plan only. Driving credit is valid for 90 days, excludes mileage fee, & applied on approval. Offer valid until 28/02/2026.

For full T&Cs click here.

Use code HIYACM1 to access a £10 discount off your first hire.

Use promo code ZIPCAR20 to access a 20% discount on your first Turo trip in the UK (up to a max discount of £150).

Borough plans to develop car club provision

Car clubs in London are currently managed on a borough by borough basis.

We will update the information below as borough plans progress.

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Barking and Dagenham
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Barnet
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Barnet
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Brent
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Brent
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Camden
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Camden
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
City of London
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
City of London
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
City of Westminster
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
City of Westminster
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Croydon
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Croydon
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Ealing
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Ealing
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Enfield
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Enfield
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
Royal Borough of Greenwich
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Greenwich
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Hackney
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Hackney
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Hammersmith and Fulham
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Haringey
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Haringey
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Harrow
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Harrow
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Hillingdon
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Hillingdon
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Hounslow
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Hounslow
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Islington
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Islington
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Kensington and Chelsea
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Kingston upon Thames
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Lambeth
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Lambeth
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Lewisham
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Lewisham
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Merton
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Merton
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Newham
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Newham
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Redbridge
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Redbridge
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Richmond upon Thames
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Southwark
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Southwark
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Sutton
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Sutton
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Tower Hamlets
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Waltham Forest
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Waltham Forest
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:
London Borough of Wandsworth
  • No car clubs at present
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
* limited service
Wandsworth
is seeking extra car club provision.
Additional information:

Share your story

Car club operator Zipcar is consulting on ceasing its UK operations. We want to hear your stories about how this will impact you, so we can use these stories to represent the importance of car clubs to Local Authorities and Mayors.
All answers are anonymous.
Thank you sharing your thoughts on the closure of Zipcar. You can browse comments from other users below.
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User comments

terrible please bring it back
We’re a small business and like many relied on Zipvan for our logistics. With three or four in our area it was a smart solution and meant we didn’t need our own van on the road. The vans were in near constant use by many operators. I honestly cannot believe the various authorities involved haven’t properly assessed the broader impact their policies will have across the capital for both business and general car club consumers. It’s a mind-blowing lack of responsibility and totally short sighted. I’d love Como to properly consult the business community on this as I think it would make a powerful case for operator incentives to use the currently abandoned infrastructure/bays.
No more day trip to the country side with my kid.
Infact is the worst news have ever heard. I am really disappointed and sad about it. I am a single mum of two who has leg issue as well. At the moment I do not even have a car, how I wish the closing down can be reverted. I want to buy one of their car if they are willing to sell it to me.
It means I don’t need a car living in London and I can collect furniture and household items for DIY. It has been invaluable when moving house and shopping.
We have used Zipcar for local trips to transport bulky items (moving, repairs, storage) that are not possible to move via public transport and too expensive/not possible via taxi/mini cab. We also use Zipcar on the multiple times that public transport is shut down (particularly weekends) and we need to take a journey that is not within 2 km, several times when medical tests have been scheduled on weekends. We have also used Zipcar at our arrival destination when travelling outside of London (once again, no alternative public transport option is available for the end part of the journey -- most of the time in rural areas). The convenience of being able to easily access and drop off the car (no rental queues), as well as utilise public transport for most of the journey is highly attractive. Zipcar closing means that we will have to arrange a rental car in the traditional method, with the hire period being multiple days at a much higher price. This will probably result in us taking more journeys by car within London (to get the most utility) when we have it on hire. This also means that for any weekend journeys, we will most likely drive to/from London instead of utilising public transport for any of the journey.
Its one of the main reasons I don't own a car, and without traditional car rental companies within 30 minutes of my house, it limits our mobility as a family.
Zipcar closing in London seriously lowered my life quality here in London and is angering/saddening. Countless times I had to reach places where transport was not working or would make for a difficult trip also due to weather, and the zipcar Flex service was perfect, cheaper than a Uber and flexible (as the name implies). Now I am seriously considering buying a car, and I imagine many other residents of London will as well. The whole discussion on how useful the Flex service was also seems to be missing from most debates online and also during the assembly meetings I watched. Potential new competitors like Turo will have a hard time replacing the practicality of rapidly renting an EV with parking permits across the city when necessary. Enterprise car seems like an impractical and dishonest company, skimming online reviews is sufficient to get an idea. But hey it is a British company, is that one of the reasonings behind the decision not to help making Zipcar sustainable? Obviously people like Sadiq Khan are out of touch and don't need this kind of services and probably are not even aware they exist or of their subtleties. The government/mayor/TFL should be ashamed of how this was allowed to happen and the UK keeps on making small backwards steps. Obviously this is not as bad as Brexit, but it follows a similar vein of absurdity. In the meantime large European cities like Berlin actively support services like zipcar with subsidies, improving the life quality of citizens and the environment.
Unable to find car hire as convenient as zipcar
The cars are good, cheap and you pay to drive the cars or vans. It is the easiest way to hire cars for 30 mins to a whole day .
It was a convenient and affordable service — it’s a shame that, for such a huge city as London, there are no comparable alternatives.
Lack of a car/van when I need one.
It means that I no longer have convenient access to a car when I need one. There are no other car sharing operators in walking distance to where I live.
Good for shopping
I have used zip car many times and have found it very useful. To no longer have this service will impede me no end. I don’t see how letting this service end will aid congestion in central London. It was incredibly helpful for me in situations where public transport was not viable or was not available for any reason. They said they wanted electric vehicles for low emissions and offered all kinds of incentives for people to use them then when that happens, they change the rules, totally unfair. I would be even more upset if I’d gone to the trouble of purchasing one to get the benefit of free parking, no congestion charge and low car tax only to lose that incentive. It’s a sad fact that money is more important than people.
Zipcar previously gave us access to the countryside at weekends, access to our storage locker and the option to be flexible with travel within the UK. That has all been taken away and we are left with no other choice than to buy a car.
Best company operating in london. Easy to use, conveniently located, reasonable price, and great customer service. Used to rent vans to move house x3 times in 10 years (without shedding lots of unnecessary expense on additional trips to enterprise rental and deposits), used electric vehicles zipcar for work when required to drive (typically used rail transport to get around otherwise) Used zipcar to help friends move house & special trips such as to pick up our first dog from outside of london and transport home. Finally, zipcar was there in an emergency. when my wife went into labour, no uber would pick up the ride... the driver even asked her to cancel a booking so they wouldnt get penalised. I got home from work just in time, rented a zipcar and drove to the hospital with 15minutes to spare before my kid was born. Zipcar was easy to use, always available and allowed us to not have to buy a car. I was immensely disappointed to hear the serviced ended and i've had to since lease a car. incredibly short sighted to penalise them with ev congestion charge tax.
I had been a customer of streetCar then zipcar, so basically since Zipcar started in the UK, it was the perfect solution for me, on-demand car, for groceries, Van for house moves, i helped many friends move, friends and family visit as its cheaper than a taxi and flex when need to quickly get to work or to an appointment. I have always bragged to my friends living in Europe about how amazing Zipcar is and how it makes sense and they have always been amazed by it and wish they had it in their cities.. Then my wife pregnant and Zipcar was a lifesaver hospital visits and late night emergency scares. then baby was born, we wre doing house refurb whilst living in an airbnb Zipcar was again a saver for me to go check the building works and quickly come back to my family or get something quickly from the house when needed. and since the baby is here, it has been a no-brainer for anything we need to do outside with the baby, groceries, visits, doctor..etc i have checked the available choices and they are no were near what Zipcar provided, i thought Zipcar was doing really well and was hoping for even more cars to become available across London, people dont have to buy more cars if each street has at least 10 Zipcars ! I honestly dont know what to do now, i just came back yesterday after 2 months abroad and i will soon be faced with the hard reality and struggle to find an easy way to move around or transport big items ... Big loss honestly and don't understand the decision
We are a small charity providing urgent clothing provision to refugees and asylum seekers across London. We are at a total loss following Zipcar's closure. We have no idea how we'll operate going forward. If we have to buy our own van, this will be a huge cost for us which we cannot currently afford.
The closure of Zipcar is a major blow to access parts of London that often take twice or three times as long via public transport. A trip from East London to South East London can take around 30 minutes by car, as opposed to the current 1 hour 20 minutes it takes. Unexpected occasions of missing the last train home or sudden public transport cancellations has led to Zipcar being a lifesaver in these circumstances. Since the first announced closure, I purchased my private vehicle as soon as I could as I wasn't happy with other car club alternatives, such as the lack of flexibility and inability to book some cars by the hour instead of by the day. It is a huge shame to have contributed to private car ownership, though more could have been done to mitigate Zipcar exiting the UK market.
I cant see my kid and and shopping trips become harder
I only used Zipcar about once per month, and then rented cars additionally through other services if making a multi-day trip (as it was usually more cost effective), this was about once ever four months. Part of the reason I did not have a car was because I always had one available if I needed it. Now with Zipcar's closure this is not the case, as there is a lack of coverage for the existing car clubs in my area (Southeast London) - where the near round-trip bay Zipcar used to be 10 minutes walk from where I live, it is now over a 45 minute walk to a car share. The money I spent on car shares and car rentals was already about the cost of maintaining a car per year, but I used car shares to reduce my ecological impact, and traffic and space impact within London. The absence of Zipcar will lead me to likely purchase a car before the end of the year. The service was not perfect, but it was an incredibly useful tool in the tapestry of London transportation, especially living in an area that does not have a tube, and often has difficult cross-borough transportation links. The majority of the times that I used Zipcar was not to go into central London, but in zones 3-4-5+.
Catastrophic failure by London authorities to allow 90% of car club cars to disappear overnight. Have been using Zipcar for almost 10 years. Zipvans for middle of the night moving of houses to avoid traffic. Zipcar flex for one way car journeys where cabs are too expensive, public transport doesn't go or is not fast enough. I often paired journeys with Lime bikes for more sustainable and affordable travel.
Zipcar was my favourite app and best thing about living in London. The ability to drive somewhere and leave the car will be unmatched - there is no similar service and it improved the quality of my life by x16. It also provided me an incentive not to drink when i saw friends so that i could safely drive myself home, at whatever time i fancy, rather than having to use expensive taxi services.
The closure of Zipcar has restricted my ability to go on day trips, out of town shopping or even just to jump in a car and go for a nice drive. It means I have been unable to go to the tip for example, to get rid of some household items. What I liked was I could hire a car from 5am in the morning for a few hours and pop it back in its parking bay. I didn't have to worry too much about petrol on my credit card or travelling miles to a car hire company and have to return the car by 5pm or face overnight charges.
Catastrophic. If zip car has 650,000 users, most will have to purchase vehicles as the scale of the other sharing services is inadequate and substandard. We will be buying a car shortly which is both uneconomical and inefficient.
I have to make regular trips (once/twice a month) from Twickenham to Bicester. Zipcar was perfect for this. Going by train is complicated (2 changes) and takes 1.5 hours longer door to door. Zipcar closing is a big loss
The ability to be able to hire a car or van at short notice at a reasonable price, and have lots of options close by was life changing. No longer needed my old car. Will have to reconsider that now.
Zipcar was used as part of my business plan. We used zipcar to visit clients and deliver our services
I no longer have an option for a car without traveling over 30 mins by bus for a car hire, I used Zipcar to buy 2nd hand furniture, move house, attend appointments, visit national trust sites and explore London and surrounds. While enterprise car club does operate in Camden there is currently 1 car within walking distance of my house in kilburn (there were over 15 zip cars)
Zipcar has been integral to our life for over ten years. It made our lives work without the need to own our our own car by giving us an alternative to public transport when we needed it
Massive part of my daily routine especially shopping trips. Will be greatly missed
Terrible for me as I used zip car for doing lot of business
A sad day 🥲 I’ll miss my fiat 500
We are losing the convenience of being able to access easily and locally a car to travel outside London. There was a Zipcar service within 20 minutes' walk of home, which made it so easy and accessible. With Zipcar closing, we now have to travel 45 minutes into central London to a hire car company.
This has been a huge lost. I won't buy a new car but I will definitely lease a car. This ultimately will lead only to more congested road and pollution
It seems crazy that TFL and the London Mayor have place financial and other obstacles in place which are making it commercially unviable for the most sensible way forward in vehicle use. There is no provision for anything comparable in our location SE6 area of london and they should be ashamed of their stupidity. Having already made London the slowest city in the world how much further will they go to irritate the population.
loss of a great helpful team. Not only convenient but when I could not find my car in a huge parking area, the operator stayed on the line with me to help great low cost service.
Bring back Zipcar to Londoners, Mr Khan!!
Its absolutely senseless that once again the politics of London's Mr Khan are taking a practical option out of the hands of Londoners. When an option like Zip Car is taken away it is like leaving us without arms and legs, those of us who desperately need to get to school, work, hospital etc.
The loss of zipcar is difficult , primarily for its loss of Zipvan. Zipvan is vital for moving items at short notice, e.g. moving house. That is the main loss for us.
I am completely bereft. It’s bonkers - i’ve used Street Car and Zipcar for 16 years. From moving home twice running stuff to the dump or running my kids to swimming etc
I was a member for well over 15 years. Living in zone 2 the cars were part of the general transport offering and were a great way to drive out of London for weekends or family Events. There is absolutely no real alternative currently. Traditional car hire has disappeared mostly in central London, where it exists it is very expensive. The plethora of many service providers all have small fleets not within easy access and many offer cars that are not electric. Many people, including me live in a car free development, which neans we are not allowed a parking space or visitor parking. So any kind if car hire is now impossible! Zipcars we're on nearby streets so didnt require me to pick up abd bring home. I cahylt even buy a car due yo bringbinba car free area. Complete disaster. If I want car usage I will now need to move to a property which fies have parking. This seems completely counter intuitive. I dont understand why London authorities seen to have gone quiet about this. Does anyone care about this? It seems not. Im not even sure if I'll be able to sell my flat now. Who is going to buy a flat in a car free area where there are zero hire cars, when there were lots. Im completely screwed. This throws car free policies in the bin.
At first, the car was an easily identifiable and accessible means to limited car use. I previously owned my own car, but when I saw my son and other children having prolonged childhood asthma, I felt un needed to be a part of the solution and get rid of my polluting vehicle. The car has been not only easily identifiable and affordable. It has given me peace of mind and knowing that there was always a Zipcar to suit my needs in an accessible location. It was peace of mind and so one less burden in our daily lives. On top of that the customer service has always been excellent and reasonable. The team has always been responsive and considerate. The fact that I have never heard of these other clubs means that Zipcar has built itself an excellent reputation, and that only comes from it’s good service. This decision has been shortsighted and costly, and given what I have said it is also foolish in my opinion.
It’s very sad to learn that Zipcar is ceasing operations. I was a loyal customer and car clubbing in London won’t be the same without Zipcar, not only because of the amazing pool they have, but also because they had an exceptional customer service. I hope all the employees can somehow get good arrangements from the consultation and Zipcar continue to support their employees in this very sad and painful times for them.
I got rid of my own car 10 years ago and have been using ZipCar ever since as I do not need a car daily and Zip Car was more convenient than traditional daily hire cars (that I use for longer distance when I stay over night etc.). None of the current alternatives are available in Barnet at present so I will now seriously consider getting my own car again.
We used Zipcar for everything!!! It’s a massive loss and London will see a significant increase in personal cars on the road as there is in reality no true alternative / replacement for Zipcar! Such a pity
Very sad. One of the best companies I’ve ever dealt with. Great user interface on the app and even better customer service. When I didn’t own a car zipcar saved my life multiple times. Such a shame that sometimes the best companies are the ones that don’t last
I'll need to buy a car
I relied on Zipcars anytime I needed a vehicle and frequently for oneway trips too. I can't imagine the alternate operators being able to provide one way services.
Devastated. I can’t afford to run a car living in Putney and the unavailability of Zipcar mean I won’t be able to make short trips to see friends and family.
Inconvenience seeing my family and even household tasks will become difficult
For me as I often need a van for moving things from one site to another the car club van service is very useful. My needs change and a permanent vehicle is not needed or cost effective .
Zipcar was fantastic and a great option for occasional journeys. I used it often and also used vans for odd trips eg picking up large items, it was very convenient. Not having this is a big pain as it means I will need to have my own car which is costly and inefficient
Now l have to buy a car!!!! I didn't want to, but l have no choice now
It’s a disaster for those of us used to occasionally borrowing a van or car for work. It means much higher rental costs and more hassle to go to various rental companies. Londoners have been use to jumping in a vehicle for years, this is a complete step backwards for the city.
Inconvenient and less fun
Disaster.
Sadly it means we will be buying a car that will remain parked 95% of the time. It will not be electric because we live in a flat and we only need a car occasionally.
Zipcar was the perfect option for us - we don’t need a car often but having a car club is a life saver for those odd big supermarket shops, visits to Ikea, transporting large items, or the odd weekend away. With a baby on the way ZipCar would have become even more helpful and we are so sad to see it go, leaving us with no option but to get a car now.
Isolation - much more difficulty in seeing family and friends in the country
I have found Zipcar indispensable alternative to owning a car. The model is safe, easy to access, economic and the fleet of cars are efficient. In addition the staff are very helpful and the car club is one of the best. I will miss Zipcar a lot.
... a very hard blow, not being able to count since more than once I got out of trouble very important, now I do not believe that they stop working and I hoped that it was just a pause, I hope I return and thank the moments I was able to drive with them And give me The chance to drive in London thanks to Zipcar
Devastating to me and so many friends who have used zip car and kept more cars off the road.
Very sad was so convenient.
Zipcar was extremely helpful in providing me with affordable transportation and giving me the freedom to take short trips across the country. It was an alternative to buying a car I could not afford, and it has been very disappointing to hear that they are closing. I have been using Zipcar since 2019, and during the pandemic, that was the most effective and safest way to travel. I also used it a few times when I needed to move out and make a round trip between the old flat and the new flat. It was also shared with friends and made us have some good memories... Zipcar remains a beloved memory of my last decade. Such a shame - They are going to be missed.
Huge impact, I’ve lost my mobility and freedom.
ZipCar Flex has been a lifeline for us as a family of 5. We can't afford to run a car, and live in a central London location. It's helped us out of many tricky situations. ZipVan has perhaps been an even more significant help. I now can't afford to but large items off of places like Facebook Marketplace as I have no way of collecting it. Both ZipCar and ZipVan's ceasing means a blow for saving money for us, as a low income household, and for the enviroment in general.
I have used Zipcar regularly for transporting my kids to clubs and parties when cycling is not an option. We have also used Zipcar vans for moving house or collecting large items.
It is a huge inconvenience! We used to rent one when we needed to go to locations that are awkward to get to by public transport or when we needed to transport something. I Wandsworth there are no car sharing clubs, so we are now stuck having to purchase a car that we don't really need all the time.
It’s actually devastating. I relied on zip car quite a lot. You can’t do everything in London properly on public transport.
I got rid of my car 2 years ago and was very happily using Zipcar whenever I needed a car. There is no other provision anywhere near where I live in Peckham so will have to consider getting a car again.
A great concept and have used both van and car services multiple times. The one-way car option was invaluable. Always multiple cars available within a 10 minute walk. Just checked the next biggest car club in London and the nearest car is over 2 miles away. Not really convenient. A shame to see the Zipcars still sitting parked on the streets. The Zipcar customer service was excellent.
I started using Zipcar in 2021 after needing to do a last minute airport pickup. Zipcar has been the best value for money membership i have had. My son said he want to go to the sea side for his 3th Birthday, booked a car for the day and gave him his wish. I have also used the vans for DIY shopping and 7 seaters to go to weddings and parties. The Flex cars were great when pubic transport was no available. it was also a good way to test drive different car before buying. Thanks for the memories Zipcar. i will miss the green Z rolling by.
This will be devastating as we have depended on zip cars for transportation to Dr appointments and shopping. We have also used the zip vans when moving house. This is a terrible blow for those without auto ownership!
I got rid of car a few years ago to see if I could manage with Zipcar, e-bikes and public transport. Zipcar became my mainstay for last minute travel, as a bad weather option, carrying loads and ferrying my mum to medical appointments. Also trips to visit friends outside of london. It has been a big and reliable part of my life. And I’m gutted it’s gone. They were really well used around SW London.
This alternatives exist before Zipcar ceased operating in the uk the best option was Zipcar no other carclub can beat Zipcar so im not interested to sign up for another one rather buy my own car
So sorry to hear that. I used many times Zipcar in last few years.
For London was the best car hire, very flexible and always cars available. No high amounts of deposit just to hire a car, very frustrating that Zipcar is gone, was part of my life in London… every week I was taking one car…. Thank you Mayor of London….for his greedy actions…. Hope one day they will return to London.
Zipcar enabled us to bring up a busy family with only one car of our own. My husband worked away a lot and needed the family car - and I needed to take my children to all their evening activities as well as picking up shopping and running other errands. Zipcar was brilliant - at that time there were so many cars available, I managed to do all the ferrying about I needed to do at a fraction of the cost of owning a second car. We also made good use of the vans. My husnad is a scout leader and the vans were a convenient and economical way to take equipment to scout camps. We'll really miss Zipcar!
Less option and become more expensive
The loss of Zipcar means a total loss of flexible access to vans for our small business based in the City which works across the capital. None of the other operators have even a fraction as many vehicles and there are very few vans in their fleets. We will have no choice but to waste time and money - and drive more - in order to rent vans for entire days and bring them in to the city. Waltham Forest, where I live, is essentially unserved without Zipcar - Enterprise are right when they say "Limited Service" - they have perhaps 3 vehicles in the whole borough.
Zipcar was amazing for my mental health, as an American living in London I was able to use this and feel at home. I learned how to drive here for a new skill but then bam and left with transport of London. I find it all too overwhelming with my adhd and love driving! It makes me feel so much safer and happier and I had control over my life, but now I found this beg of the year for work depressing. I used Zipcar daily and had a membership and without it now once been been home and felt even more isolated. I would do anything to have something like Zipcar back
It would be a huge blow. I visit London once or twice a year to spend time with my elderly parents. Car sharing is a comfortable and easy way to take my parents around, to see family and friends.
Very sad and disappointing
So inept and shortsighted that no exemptions were made to allow Zipcar to operate viably. The flex cars were superb for getting to the airport or just scooting into town. No congestion charge and parking in resident bays made it super easy. I can’t believe that London is will now take a massive backward step in trying to reduce car ownership and pollution. To not see the obvious benefit of Zipcar is astonishing. Bring them back !
ZipCar closing is a big blow for me as I have been a member since they first started operation in City of Westminster. I cannot justify buying a car since I would not use it often enough. But having a car easily available to transport elderly relatives, buy large items of furniture, take waste to the tip or just go for a day out occasionally was such a great improvement to life. When I heard that the boroughs were not coordinating on parking charges, or charging ZipCar such high rates for parking especially on the point to point rentals I was so angry because ultimately this made ZipCars business unviable. What an own-goal for the boroughs who should be promoting car sharing rather than putting barriers in the way.
The closure of Zipcar in London would force our family to consider buying a car purely for occasional use. We cycle for most journeys and rely on car-share only when a vehicle is genuinely needed. Owning a car would introduce a fixed, unavoidable cost that currently does not exist. Insurance, tax, maintenance, parking and depreciation would divert money away from the local economy, from cafés, shops and services we would otherwise support. It would also push us toward owning an under-used vehicle rather than sharing one, increasing congestion and emissions. What is currently an efficient, low-impact, shared solution would become a private, resource-intensive one. This is a step backwards both economically for local communities and environmentally for the city
The Zipcar unrivalled coverage including both round trip bays and one way flex trips ensured my family (2 adults and child) haven’t needed to buy a car since moving to London in 2017. All our needs from IKEA to drive to drop off the kid at grandparents at a late hour to a jaunt to an inconveniently located kids club were served and so were weekend trips away to see relatives. Having access to Zipcar provided flexibility and made us conscious about using the car only as much as we needed to. We will now have to get our own car, which less of a financial concern, will take up space on the street and will encourage us to drive more (since we would be paying tax and insurance anyway). None of the alternative services offer what Zipcar did: full coverage across the city and flexibility from by mile hires to full multiple days.
It’s a catastrophe, the loss of being able to use this service will impact my family financially and personally as we live in a car free development.
I will seek an alternative to Zipcar, if none has both round trip and flex will purchase a car.
I'm crushed by Zipcar's closure. I don't want to own a car. I don't need to own a car. But I needed Zipcar. A couple of times a month, that freedom mattered: garden centre runs, south London visits where driving beat the brutal bus-hopping, even family trips beyond the city. It was simple and more importantly, sustainable. What surprises me the most? The silence from London's authorities. Thousands of car club members. Countless private polluters kept off our streets. A proven success story over decades and our Local Authorities and the Mayor simply let it die. The service was stellar: friendly support teams, fair prices, zero hassle. Zipcar didn't just provide cars, it provided choice. The choice not to own. The choice to live lighter, cleaner, smarter. Now that choice is gone. And London is poorer for it.
I'm sad to see another company closing its activities in London at least leaving vans to transport goods and services is very important in London but the decision is with the Zipcar Company.
Zipcar is a massive blow for our family - we have used it regularly over the past ten years to visit family and friends when public transport wasn’t available or an option - cannot emphasise enough just how disappointing it is that it will no longer be available.
Loss of a much needed alternative to owning a car in arguably the most car unfriendly major city on earth. I speak from lived experience.
Terrible news. I used their Flex cars all the time. Cars weren't always available nearby but they were invaluable for quick journeys to the station to get pubic transport. I even used one to get to Heathrow Airport and it was fabulous to park right near the terminal for a fraction of the cost of a taxi.
Since I moved to the UK 5 years ago, I live in London, I don't use car often but I do need it some time, so everytime when I need to go to other cities or when I buy something heavy, zipcar is the first thing I could think of.
I used Zipcar to get around London for property visits in my role as a property manager, especially for trips I couldn’t manage by bike. I relied on it when it was raining, late at night, or when I didn’t feel safe cycling. It was cheaper and much more convenient than using Ubers or taxis.I’m also a mum of two, and Zipcar was the perfect solution for someone who didn’t want to own a car but still needed access to one. I didn’t have to worry about parking, congestion charges, servicing, insurance, or any of the usual costs and stress that come with owning a car in London. It gave me flexibility when I needed it, without the hassle.I was absolutely gutted when the plans to close the service in London were announced. London didn’t deserve to lose such a perfect service. The cars were always clean, easy to book, and reliable, and Zipcar genuinely made day‑to‑day life easier for me, both professionally and as a parent. We are in the process of purchasing a car now that Zipcar has ceased operations, well done London on reaching on your green initiatives!!
Devastated. How can mayor of London let this happen.
I’m sad and angry that Zipcar has to close. I’ve been a member since Streetcar that later became a Zipcar. I thought the idea was excellent and should be spread worldwide! I thought what a great thing for reducing traffic in cities, allowing people to experience different cars, have cars when they need them and not worry about anything when they don’t. It was great to think that I share the car down the road with my neighbours. For I short while I had my own car, and although it was always at hand, there was a lot of hustle with it too. I loved the idea I can get into the car just with my phone, at 3 am, if needed (as opposite to find in the rental place during work times). I will miss Zipcar. I hope someday you come back.