Enterprise joins mobility credits scheme in Coventry

Enterprise says it has placed 10 cars around the city as part of he trial

Car hire company Enterprise 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.

Keelan Fadden-Hopper of TfWM discussed mobility credits as part of an interview for Issue 1 2021 of Intelligent Transport, which you can read online here.

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.

“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,” said John Seddon, head of transport and innovation at Coventry City Council.

“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, added: “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.”