Enterprise, the world’s largest car hire company, is supporting the UK’s first mobility credits trial being held in Coventry, where car owners are surrendering their own older, more polluting vehicles in exchange for credits which can be used to access a range of alternative transport services, including Enterprise car rental and car club services.
Enterprise Car Club has placed 10 cars across the city, including in the five wards where the trial is taking place. Drivers taking part in the initiative will be able to use their credits to book one of these low-emission shared cars near to where they live or work, or to access Enterprise’s rental vehicles.
The car club vehicles are based in on-street bays in residential neighbourhoods – in George Elliot Road, Jubilee Crescent, Northumberland Road and Clay Lane Car Park – to ensure triallists can access a car whenever they need, 24/7.
More low-emission car club vehicles are located in the city centre at Westminster Road Car Park, Barrack Car Park, and Gosford Street Car Park. Two vehicles are located on campus at the University of Warwick.
The mobility credits trial is being organised by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and Coventry City Council with residents and council employees. The trial aims to encourage people who own an older, more polluting car to switch to a range of integrated, sustainable and active travel options, including cycle hire, public transport, car club and car rental, in exchange for up to £3,000 of mobility credits.
During the trial, payment for Enterprise Car Club and rental vehicles will initially be via a Yordex card, pre-loaded with credits. Payments will be integrated into TfWM’s Swift payment card platform, as the pilot expands.
John Seddon, head of transport and innovation at Coventry City Council, said: “We are delighted to be working with Enterprise on integrating Enterprise Car Club and vehicle hire into our mobility credits initiative, which is a first for the UK. We believe that giving people easy access to low emission vehicles near to where they live, and work will help to promote integrated transport solutions in Coventry.”
Oz Choudhri, head of mobility solutions at Enterprise, adds: “Coventry’s pioneering mobility credits initiative will provide important information about how to encourage people to use more sustainable shared, active and integrated travel. This is why we are so keen to support this trial, bringing lower-emission mobility to the heart of the community to reduce pollution and congestion.
“We saw usage increase the minute we moved the cars to the wards, demonstrating that people are open to the idea of driving a shared car. Integrating car club use into a city’s shared transport network and systems in this way makes it even more simple and relevant for everyday use.”
Mobility credit trialists can apply for the first year’s membership of Enterprise Car Club for free (usually £60), giving them access to ultra-low emission vehicles including electric hybrids.
Coventry City Council introduced the vehicles to provide individuals and businesses in the city with easy access to sustainable transport, helping to reduce traffic congestion and CO2 emissions.
People taking part in the trial will also be able to use mobility credits to book any of the more than 65 Enterprise Car Club vehicles currently located in the West Midlands, as well as a rental vehicle through any of the 46 branches in the Coventry and Warwickshire area.
Every Enterprise Car Club vehicle is cleaned between each rental and is backed by the Complete Clean Pledge, an enhanced series of cleaning and hygiene measures to bring reassurance to renters since COVID-19 and ensure that car club use continues to be a reliable motoring option. The Complete Clean Pledge includes vacuuming and sanitising with a disinfectant that meets leading health authority requirements, with particular attention to more than 20 high-touch points.
Enterprise Car Club is the UK’s largest national network of on-street low-emission car club vehicles and is one of the most convenient ways to get motoring quickly. Members can book Enterprise Car Club with an app, open the vehicle with a smartphone and head off on their trip within moments.
Members of Enterprise Car Club, including people taking part in the trial, can pick up any of the 1,400 on-street vehicles currently available for rent in more than 180 cities, towns and communities across the UK, at many locations including on-street, at Enterprise Rent-A-Car branches, at railway stations and in many housing developments.
Car clubs have been shown to bring a range of benefits. They can reduce CO2 emissions, help towns and cities to improve air quality, encourage the adoption of electric vehicles, make business travel policies greener, promote shared transport and encourage active travel.
