Swansea Council is backing the launch of an innovative new car share scheme that provides residents with a cost-effective way of driving.
The scheme is a partnership between Swansea Council for Voluntary Service (SCVS) and national electric car sharing operator – TrydaNi.
The money-saving car share initiative gives locals the chance to jump in the driver’s seat of a family sized electric vehicle for a small charge of £2 per hour plus additional mileage costs (16p per mile).
Residents can sign up to join the car sharing club for free on the TrydaNi website. Those who register to be part of the club can make use of a wider network of cars throughout Wales.
The Council says it provides residents with a cost-effective way of travelling to where they need to go, whilst using sustainable transport but without the wider commitment of owning a car.
Rebecca Fogarty, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Community, welcomed the scheme, saying it can provide residents with a much-needed lifeline for people to go about their day, visit family, do their weekly shop or simply go on a day trip.
Cllr Fogarty said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for non-car owners to get behind the wheel of an environmentally friendly car for a small fee and travel to wherever they need to go.
“We know there are people in Swansea that are unable to afford the ongoing day to day costs of owning a vehicle. Others may only require a car for very limited periods and choose not to own one, so this scheme provides a real and affordable opportunity for residents to make the best use of a car without actually owning one.
“The current scheme is limited to just the one vehicle but there’s potential for more of these cars to be available in other parts of the city if communities were to show an interest.”
Roxane Dacey, Head of Prevention and Community Services at SCVS, said “Over the last couple of years we’ve been working with community members to work through the barriers that people have to getting out and about in Swansea.
“Public transport is part of the solution, but there was an appetite for a community car scheme as a possible solution to address some of those barriers.
“We’re delighted to have launched the Swansea community car scheme recently in partnership with TrydaNi.
“Residents in Swansea just need to join the car club, which is free of charge, upload their key documents, and wait for approval, which usually takes about 3 working days. Once that’s done, they can go ahead and book the car to use whenever they need it.”
