Rushmoor council introduces car club for employee and public use

Rushmoor Borough Council has introduced a new car club that gives staff and the public easier access to greener hybrid vehicles.

From 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, two Enterprise-owned vehicles will be available to council employees needing to use a car for their work. In the evenings and at weekends, the vehicles will be available for anyone needing access to a car in Farnborough.

The vehicles can be rented from as little as £6.20 per hour and are available for anyone over the age of 19. As a special incentive to trial the new service, residents and business workers can join the club for only £10 in the first year, a saving of £50, as well as receive 60 miles free per trip.

The Toyota and Kia cars are hybrids, which typically run on an electric motor for short, slower trips in and around town, reducing the impact of emissions. Hybrids then switch to a petrol engine for longer journeys on faster main roads.

One of the cars is located at the council offices in Farnborough Road, the other in the Queensmead car park. They are already available to council employees and will be bookable by residents once they become members of Enterprise Car Club.

The cars are within half a mile of the local train station, so can also be rented by people visiting Farnborough who need a car for the last leg of their journey.

Councillor David Clifford, leader of Rushmoor Borough Council, said: “We hope shared access to car club vehicles will provide a great mobility solution for our employees and the local community.

“It’s quick and easy to get on board, and the hybrid engines will help to keep emissions down. We think it’s the way ahead to provide greener vehicles for people when they need to use them.

“Making the car club available to our employees during the day and the local community in the evenings and at weekends means that we can get the best value from the service. There is a benefit in providing more choice to local residents and businesses when people are most likely to be out and about and may need a car.”