Safe Speed Forums

Pay-as-you-go cars hit city centre roads
Wednesday, 22nd November 2006
Dean Kirby

AN INNOVATIVE car rental scheme aims to help make the future of city centre motoring a little greener.

From today drivers will have access to the city's first pay-by-the-hour cars.

That will mean commuters will be able to travel into the city on public transport and then hop into a hire car whenever they need to. Alternatively city centre residents can do without a car, hiring a vehicle whenever they want to leave the city.

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Bosses at Manchester council hope the scheme, operated by WhizzGo, will create a cost effective alternative to car ownership and help make the city the country's "greenest".

WhizzGo was set up by Charlotte Morton. Ms Morton said: "Aside from the environmental advantages, WhizzGo can save people time and money as well."

She estimates the scheme can save motorists £2,500 a year and will remove the need to hunt for elusive parking spaces in the city.

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The company's fleet includes seven low-emission Citroëns, which are capable of running on a 30 per cent bio-diesel blend. Six are C3 hatchbacks and one is a Citroën Picasso.

The cars will be put in specially-marked parking bays across the city centre and will be available to anyone who has joined a WhizzGo "car club".

Members can access the cars with a smart card and are charged an hourly fee. Bookings can be taken by phone or over the internet.

Eugene Tansey, 47, a business consultant from Sale, has already signed up for the scheme.

He said: "I use the bus and the train, but WhizzGo gives me an additional option to save time."

A council spokesman said: "This will make a big contribution to Manchester's aim of becoming Britain's greenest city."

The cars cost about £4.95 an hour, which includes fully comprehensive insurance, 30 free miles a day and 24-hour breakdown assistance. There is also a charge to join the club and a refundable insurance deposit.

Similar schemes already operate in London, Liverpool, Leeds and York.

More information about the scheme can be found at www.WhizzGo.co.uk or by calling 0870 4466000.

What happens if you ... have a minor prang.

Wouldn't it be easier to nationalise car hire centres and suddenly you can hire a car and return it almost anywhere?

The company's fleet includes seven low-emission Citroëns, which are capable of running on a 30 per cent bio-diesel blend. Six are C3 hatchbacks and one is a Citroën Picasso.

If we did (and this is a brainstorming question) would cars tend to accumulate anywhere? Are there places that people are more likely to want to drive TO rather then FROM?

If we did (and this is a brainstorming question) would cars tend to accumulate anywhere? Are there places that people are more likely to want to drive TO rather then FROM?

I suppose car pools at shopping centres would tend to empty as people wanted a car to carry goods away.

We re talking talking and still no users of the scheme so far...where r they ????