Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has dramatically enhanced the sustainability of its business travel by deploying an onsite business car club in partnership with Enterprise Mobility.

The Dstl scheme is an excellent – and large-scale – example of how onsite car clubs can slash emissions from employee travel

Nearly 100 Enterprise Car Club vehicles are now deployed onsite at three locations in Wiltshire and Hampshire run by Dstl, an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence.

The fleet – one of the largest onsite business car clubs in the UK – not only reduces the need for vehicle deliveries and collections, but it’s also proving a far more efficient alternative to grey fleet usage.

This has cut business mileage by an estimated 372,000 miles and saved more than 100 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) supply chain emissions within a 12-month period (February 2022 to January 2023).

The onsite car club programme means employees can opt for public transport for their daily commute. This helps to minimise traffic and noise pollution, while providing access to vehicles at work for essential business travel.

The Dstl workforce can also enrol in the Enterprise Car Club on-street network, granting access to more than 1,500 vehicles in 200 locations across the UK, including many residential neighbourhoods and regional transport hubs.

Alternatively, Dstl employees can rent vehicles for business travel through Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s branch network – particularly beneficial during peak periods and also ensuring that Dstl’s workforce has access to vehicles at the office or at home, even in rural locations. Dstl employees book their vehicles via the Enterprise Travel Direct (ETD) platform on their phones or desktops.

The car club fleet includes a growing number of electric vehicles, allowing employees to opt for zero-emission transportation options. Inbuilt telematics on the dedicated car club vehicles also shows which vehicles could transition to electric in the future, based on utilisation, mileage and emissions data.

Enterprise Mobility’s bespoke package for Dstl also includes a dedicated professional responsible for onsite vehicle servicing and maintenance, which includes cleaning and minor repairs.

John Barber, principal estates contract manager at Dstl, commented: “The emission savings resulting from the expansion of our dedicated Enterprise Car Club programme exemplify the immense potential of business car clubs in driving positive environmental change.

“One of the key advantages to having the vehicles onsite is that there is a lesser need to transport vehicles to and from the rental branches. This reduction in miles travelled not only contributes to the improvement of local air quality, but also helps to ease traffic congestion, particularly during peak travel times within the areas where we operate.

“These benefits extend beyond our own operations, positively impacting our local communities and fostering a more sustainable transportation system.”

Andrew Bland, head of business rental development for the UK and Ireland at Enterprise Mobility, said the scheme was an excellent – and large-scale – example of the potential of onsite car clubs in helping to reduce emissions from employee travel.

“Onsite car clubs act as a catalyst for better employee travel habits. The evidence from this programme is that employees commute less by car, for example, because they know there’s a vehicle at the office if they need one for a business trip.

“Dstl’s commitment to being a responsible member of the community and aligning its supply chain with its social value priorities is at the forefront of its business travel approach – and it is also demonstrating the value of collective effort and collaboration to think differently about employee mobility.

“Any organisation with employees who drive personal cars for work, or that is running a pool car fleet, can potentially benefit from an onsite car club.”