Tony Lupton - Speech
Car Sharing
8 August 2008
The matter I raise is for the attention of the Minister for Roads and Ports. I call on the minister to take action to improve the accessibility of car sharing services in Melbourne.
As the Eddington Report asserts, significant investment in innovative transport initiatives is necessary to address the issues associated with transport congestion as population growth continues.
In particular it emphasises the importance of investing in infrastructure which ties into alternative forms of transport and extending current transport networks in cost effective and environmentally sustainable ways.
Car sharing does just this, supporting an integrated approach to transport, promoting the utilisation of different modes of transport, such as public transport, cycling and walking alongside vehicle use.
To the extent that it encourages alternative transport modes, it also reduces traffic density, frees up road space, and reduces air, water and noise pollution. It is good for both the environment and the community, encouraging people to make use of cars for travel in a more considered way.
There are currently three car sharing services operating in Melbourne; Flexicar, Charter Drive and GoGet. All of these organisations are experiencing growing support from users in inner city suburbs across Melbourne.
The local councils of Melbourne, Port Phillip, Yarra and Moreland all facilitate car sharing schemes by providing specially allocated public parking spaces for shared vehicles in their municipalities.
At present there is significant restriction for users accessing services, as the location of shared vehicles remains limited to these municipalities. Within my own electorate of Prahran, Stonnington City Councillors have regrettably voted against providing any car spaces to car sharing services.
To encourage this burgeoning and environmentally friendly industry I ask that the minister consider developing a uniform Melbourne-wide system to provide car spaces for the sole use of shared vehicles.
The NSW Labor Government is currently trialling a system that provides up to 90 car spaces to car sharing services across six municipalities. The trial has come about after a period of public consultation and with the co-operation of local government. This trial presents an effective model on which a similar scheme in Melbourne could be based.
Car sharing works in well with the congestion reducing measures in the Brumby Government’s Keeping Melbourne Moving Plan and provides an alternative form of transport that ties into current transport networks in a cost effective and environmentally sustainable way.
I urge the minister to work with councils to encourage car sharing services through the establishment of a greater number of parking spaces for shared vehicles in more suburbs to enable better access across Melbourne.
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