Share North
Regional Ride-Sharing – SEStran Hosts Regional Transport Partnerships Focus Group
On March 13th, 2017, representatives from the Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) across Scotland came together in Edinburgh to discuss ride-sharing in each of their constituent authorities. Liftshare UK, who provides the majority of the RTP Car Pool Groups in Scotland, presented their new ‘Dashboard’ monitoring system available for Regional Ride Sharing data. Discussions that ensued surrounded the following monitoring subjects:
- C02 emissions savings
- Money savings
- Journey Heat Maps
- How members heard of their local scheme
On average, regional statistics showed that there were slightly more women signed up to ride-sharing schemes than men (in SEStran, women made up 56% of the total membership). When asked, the majority of members stated that they would normally ‘Drive Alone’ or ‘Drive with 1+ passengers’ (in the SEStran region, this is 53% and 11% respectively). It was noted that this was a useful feature in the monitoring of a ride-sharing scheme, as RTPs do not wish to discourage the use of public transport within their respective regions. Ride-sharing was seen as a complementary mode to public transport, potentially catering for the first or last mile of a commuter’s journey.
The topic of promotional activities and events were then discussed. Examples taken from SHARE-North (Interreg NSR), CHUMS (Intelligent Energy Europe) and REPUTE (ERDF) projects were also shared across the group. It was agreed by the group that a ride-sharing events calendar should be produced and shared across all of the RTPs in Scotland. This would allow RTP officers to use various events to highlight their own regional schemes. Members acknowledged the continued success of Liftshare UK’s National Liftshare Week promotions, which happen annually in October. It was noted that this promotional event had a significant impact on Higher and Further Education establishments, due its timing coinciding with the start of the academic year.
Different funding models of ride-sharing schemes were also debated by the RTPs. Some coordinate a joint licence for their constituent authorities, whilst others seek financial contributions from each local authority. Pros and cons of each were considered. However, it was unanimously agreed that buy-in from all partner organisations was key to the success of ride share schemes. Notable success stories from Universities and National Health Services were also identified. A common factor in each was the adoption of site parking strategies. Some had even included car-sharing as part of their criteria in awarding car park permits.
If you have questions or want more information, contact SEStran at: enquiries@sestran.gov.uk