Thousands of people have already registered for internet- based car-sharing schemes run in greater Bristol.

Websites such as 2carshare and liftshare allow commuters and other motorists to share car journeys, saving themselves money and helping the environment.

The 2carshare site is a joint initiative by the four councils in the former Avon area which aims to get fewer cars on the roads.

Bristol, B&NES, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire all suffer from heavy commuter congestion, which affects air quality and the financial performance of the city.

And it is an interesting statistic to note that during school holidays – well known for providing relative rush-hour motoring bliss – there are just 10 per cent fewer cars on the roads.

So schemes like car sharing are being strongly promoted in the Bristol area.

And, of course, in these tricky economic times it makes sense to split the weekly costs of driving into work in two.

A typical car-sharer, doing a round-trip of 50 miles per day, can expect to save around £500 a year in fuel, plus savings on parking charges, wear and tear and maintenance.

Some companies have priority parking bays for car-sharers and many offer a guaranteed ride home in case of emergencies.

Car-sharers can also make use of the controversial 2+ lanes which can be found on dual carriageways around the city.

Chris Smart, a 53-year-old freelance technical project manager from Long Ashton, has been car sharing since June with fellow Long Ashton resident Tilly Shaw.

They both work at Aztec West and tend to car share on average three times a week, sharing the 30-mile return journey up the Portway, to Avonmouth and along the M5.

He said: "At the end of May I had an email from Tilly who had just moved to Long Ashton and was working up at Aztec West as well.

"We tried a couple of mornings and it went really well.

"We have been lift-sharing ever since.

"I put my details down in the first place for environmental reasons, to try to help cut down on single occupancy car use.

"But in this current economic climate it makes financial sense as well and it would be a good idea if more people did it.

"I do have a car but I rarely use it now and it's saving me a lot of money."

The schemes are easy to register with. Simply visit either website, fill in the details and wait for someone to get in touch.