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Action for Public Transport (N.S.W.) Inc. |
CAR SHARING AND ENVIRONMENTAL CARING
I invite your comments on a proposed trial of support for car share schemes that could decrease congestion, parking problems and pollution.
The City is proposing to allocate up to ten on-street parking spaces for car share vehicles for two years, with annual reviews. Car share schemes operate a fleet of vehicles that their members hire through an appointment system. A car can be booked on an as-needs bases and used for a particular purpose such as shopping for bulky items, late night visits, or to travel to areas with poor public transport access. Such schemes are cheaper than car ownership for people who travel by car on an occasional basis. By not owning a vehicle, users of car share schemes more often use environmentally friendly transport modes such as public transport, cycling or walking.
While the car share schemes are a form of commercial car hire, there is a public benefit and local community focus. The system has greater chances of success with numerous pick-up points located close to public transport interchanges, stations and stops. The schemes rely on users being able book online or via phone, and go to a predicable spot nearby to pick up the car. Council wants to ensure that this trial provides tangible benefits for City communities. Services accessing the on-street spaces must be strictly limited to residents and businesses located within the City of Sydney and the vehicles used must be low emission vehicles. The location of on-street car share parking spaces are yet to be determined, although car share spaces will not be provided in the Central Business District (CBD) as there is ample off-street parking within the CBD.
Submissions close 24 December 2004. For further information:
