Portsmouth City Council has partnered with Enterprise Car Club to launch a new car club scheme in Central Southsea, Eastney and Craneswater, St Jude and St Thomas wards in summer 2023. Additionally, two car club cars will be introduced in Lakeside in the north of the city.
By joining Enterprise car club, residents will be able to unlock cars with their phone and rent them by the hour or day. For those without a smart phone, a helpful customer services team will be on hand to ensure they can enjoy the many benefits of a car club.
To make the car club a success locations were chosen where the highest number of people said they were likely to join the club if it was offered near them in a 2021 survey. It is expected that two cars will be available in each area when the scheme launches, and if successful both the number of cars available and areas of the city could be part of an expansion in coming years.
Car clubs provide an affordable option for people who need to drive somewhere, with members only paying for a vehicle when they need it. All vehicles come with an MOT, insurance, breakdown cover, and cleaning.
The initial membership fee for Portsmouth residents will be £20 a year and this comes with a free £20 driving credit. The standard membership fee will then be £60 a year. The hire fee for vehicles starts at £6.70 per hour and there are a variety of payment options to choose from.
Cllr Lynne Stagg, Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation, said: “I am incredibly excited to be bringing affordable transport options to Portsmouth drivers. I hope that the car club will help reduce car ownership in Portsmouth while still offering residents the convenience of being able to make a journey when they need to. This is a key step in making travel in Portsmouth greener, alongside making it easier for people to walk, cycle, catch public transport and hire bikes and rental e-scooters.”
Dan Gursel, Managing Director of Enterprise Car Club, said: “We are delighted to partner with Portsmouth City Council to deliver a new sustainable travel option for residents and visitors. Our car club service helps reduce air pollution and once someone becomes a member, they have access to our complete network of around 1,500 vehicles in more than 220 towns, cities and communities across the UK. This means they can enjoy hassle-free motoring not only in Portsmouth but also when travelling elsewhere in the country. Membership also gives access to discounted hires from Enterprise rental branches.”