Cardiff’s Answer to Car Congestion

As traffic and car congestion have become a problematic part of day-to-day life within Cardiff city centre, a car hire company have launched an exciting new idea to the city. The City Car Club is offering customers the ability to hire cars by the hour in order to remove the sheer number of vehicle off Cardiff’s roads. These cars act as personal taxis in order to try and prevent the private ownership of multiple vehicles.

The City Car Club has placed 10 low emission cars around the Welsh capital in designated car parking spaces. Firstly people must join and become a member online in order to use the cars. Then customers will be presented with a personalised card which will unlock the hire vehicles around town. Then typing in a pin code will release the car keys from a security box.

As Transport Chief Coun Delme Bowen told the South Wales Echo that just one car hire can

“take away the need for up to 20 privately owned vehicles”,

the City Car Club scheme hopes to reduce congestion on the roads by encouraging families to rely on only one family car. Whilst its main aim is to be an alternative to car ownership for people who inhabit the areas surrounding the city centre, there are also other uses for the hire cars. It encourages people to use the vehicles for smaller journeys and commutes around the city. Another great use is for business journeys; it is ideal for people who do not wish to use public transport yet still want to reduce the congestion problems.

This £120,000 scheme will be starting in October and Transport Chief Bowen again tells the South Wales Echo that “the car club is another important part of our work to keep Cardiff moving”. There are also other initiatives taking place in the Sustainable Travel City scheme such as the free bike hire company which has recently been introduced to help cut down the number of cars on the road.

As the system has worked in such places as London, Bath, Bristol and Edinburgh, the City Car Club has a good chance of survival within Cardiff. Despite the failure of the Free B shuttle bus due to lack of use, this hire-car idea appears to be a more realistic option as it offers city-goers the luxury and personal space of their own vehicle alongside the knowledge that they are helping reduce Cardiff’s problem.