Car sharing companies, such as GoGet or Flexicar offer
members a range of cars parked around their area which they book online and
then use for anywhere from an hour to a few days. Members pay a monthly fee of
between $10 and $30 per month, depending on their own plan and company, and
then a small rate based on the time or distance they use the car for. The car
sharing company pays for the registration, cleaning, mechanical and petrol
costs. “It provides an incentive to reduce car use and provides efficient, cost
effective means of travel for people who wish to take this option”, according
to Chair of the Sydney City Council Traffic Committee, John McInerney.
The Council has recently approved a 12-month trial of
dedicated parking spaces for car share vehicles. The trial will see a total of
up to 12 on-street spots and 10 off-street spots around Sydney City,
with the possibility of more to follow. The Council has also recommended
allowing members to use residential parking permits for their car share
vehicles.
Similar schemes operating in Australia and overseas have been
shown to increase public transport use and reduce demands on limited on-street
car parking spots. It also has a positive effect on traffic congestion, which
in a city where congestion results in $4 billion in lost productivity every
year, can only be a good thing.
Car sharing schemes have also resulted in a reduction of
household travel costs for members, and according to McInerney, they “overcome
the shortage of public transport on the weekend”. Essentially, they provide
more flexibility for drivers whilst also being environmentally friendly.
Deputy Lord Mayor Tony Pooley knows a number of friends who
use the system, and they’re all happy with the results. He says GoGet’s figures
show that these schemes are becoming more attractive to a wider group of people
and this council recommendation
should assist that as “it will make more cars accessible to
more people”. Car sharing companies are still relatively new in the Australian
market, and whilst many are enthusiastic about the project, some drivers who
already own vehicles are hesitant about switching across. Pooley says that “the
benefits of car sharing are significant [as] many inner city people only use
cars for short trips or on an irregular basis. The potential that car share has
is that it can take ten cars off the road for each car share car, and that’s a
great benefit”
Source: South Sydney Herald December 2007 www.southsydneyherald.com.au/