Between 1980 and 2005 road traffic grew by 81%. It is expected to rise by a further 26 per cent by 2010, 31% by 2015 and 40% by 2025 (Source: Department for Transport 2005). If you’ve ever sat in traffic saying “I’m sure this road gets busier by the day”, you’d have been right – traffic congestion is increasing steadily, choking our streets and putting immense pressure on our road network.

In order to accommodate such dependency on car use more roads must be built and more countryside lost to the development of an infrastructure large enough to cope.

Is this the answer, residents of Somerset say no, but to ease the pressure on our environment we must challenge our own travel habits, and our love affair with the car.

Car sharing is a simple and convenient way to ease congestion and pollution. If everyone who drives a car on their own to work every day were to catch a lift with someone just once a week the commuting car journeys would reduce by 25%. Small personal change, dramatic effect.

In fact the smallest changes often make the largest difference. By sharing a journey you not only save money – in petrol and parking fees – but have a positive effect on traffic congestion. By working together the benefits for us all will be apparent - with reductions in journey times, traffic jams and air pollution.