‘Hire a car by the minute’ gives more transport options
By Gurbir Singh:
Hamilton City Council has launched an exciting new car-share scheme with local business, Loop.
Loop, owned by a Waikato car dealership company, allows people to hire a car by the minute, hour or overnight via an app on their phone.
Hamilton’s Loop customers, for example, now will have the opportunity to cycle to and from work while also having access to a vehicle in the city should they need it.
Reasons for Council to support this project is to “alleviate city congestion and reduce car emissions at the same time.”
Loop claims car hire is extremely simple to use as it’s all done from the app on your phone.
The app connects customers to the nearest communal car conveniently parked around the city. Customers simply return the cars to the same park when they are finished.
The Council has pledged support for a three-year trial of the scheme as it will reduce the need for more cars on the city’s roads while providing Hamiltonians with an additional choice of transport.
The Council, through its Smart Hamilton programme, is backing the scheme by offering 14 carefully chosen carparks near or in the city centre for Loop’s exclusive use. The parking spaces have signage and road marking to indicate car-share use only.
The 14 carpark spaces are located at Tristram St, Harwood St, Anglesea St, Victoria St, Waikato Museum, Caro St and the Transport Centre.
Hamilton’s Growth and Infrastructure Committee Chair Dave Macpherson says Loop provides smart options which align perfectly with the Council’s transport sustainability, affordability and accessibility goals.
“We are always looking to offer new public transport options for Hamiltonians, alleviate city congestion and reduce car emissions at the same time,” says Macpherson.
“We also hope the scheme will mean increased social inclusion by having more affordable vehicles available for public use, more efficient use of some of lesser used on and off-street car parking spaces, and a reduced need for vehicle ownership – the scheme gives people much greater choice,” adds Macpherson.
Smart Hamilton Programme Manager Chelsey Stewart says: “Car-sharing complements traditional transport options and can lead to improved health and wellbeing as people may choose to walk or cycle into the city more often.”
The Council will review the performance of the pilot scheme quarterly, via the Access Hamilton Taskforce and Growth and Infrastructure Committee.
– from NewsViews
