Car Share Wiltshire, a new Government funded scheme to encourage people to share car journeys, has attracted 176 members since its launch in November.

Wiltshire County Council is administering the scheme and a spokesman said the numbers at this early stage compared favourably with neighbouring rural counties such as Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Somerset.

"Radio advertising started this week, and work we are doing with local organisations will increase awareness and therefore membership of the scheme," he said.

"We believe this is a firm foundation to build a successful scheme."

Motorists will probably have seen signs put up around the county advertising the car share scheme and this initial awareness-raising will be followed by an extensive publicity campaign to encourage more people to car share thereby cutting down on congestion and pollution.

A website, www.carsharewiltshire. com, has been set up for prospective car sharers to register for free. The site matches people travelling in the same direction and puts them in contact with each other.

Britain has the worst congestion, longest commuting times, second highest road use and highest car ownership in the EU leading to traffic jams that cost the economy £5 billion a year in lost productivity.

The scheme is aimed at filling some of the ten million empty seats in cars on the road daily. Car sharing also reduces travelling costs and could help people in rural areas with limited public transport.

If half of Britain's motorists received a lift one day a week, congestion and pollution would be reduced by 10 per cent and traffic jams by 20 per cent, the council claims.

Potential travelling companions can be contacted via email to ensure privacy and members are encouraged to bring ID. Members' email addresses are kept hidden at all times and the only information revealed is your first name, smoking preference and journey details.

Wiltshire County Council's own car share scheme has been running for 18 months and momentum has gradually built. It now has 80 active members.

Incentives have been offered in the form of special car parking spaces for car sharers. One car sharer is press officer Allan Clarke, who uses the car share scheme for about half of his journeys to work.

Mr Clarke said he walks to work when the weather is fine but in the winter he appreciates being able to call on a lift.

He said: "I joined the scheme about three months ago. I contacted a guy who comes to work my way. Some days I walk or cycle but I can text him in the morning and arrange to be picked up."

He said the scheme had only recently proved very popular, as it had taken some time for people to get used to the idea. He said: "Recently we had to increase the number of car share parking spaces because more people are using them now. It does take time to get going, and I'm sure that will be the same for the main scheme."