BVRLA members are delivering the future of urban mobility

The BVRLA has welcomed the Government’s announcement that it will provide more financial, regulatory and policy support for UK cities looking to develop their own future mobility strategies.

Responding to the publication of the Government's Future of Mobility: Urban Strategy and the launch of a new £90 million competition for four new ‘Future Mobility Zones', BVRLA Director of External Relations, Toby Poston highlighted the key role that the vehicle rental, car club and leasing sector will play in realising the full potential of Connected, Shared, Autonomous and Electric (CASE) vehicles.

“BVRLA members are already delivering the future of urban mobility by providing clean, flexible and affordable mobility to local businesses and residents in London, Birmingham, Manchester and every other major town and city across the UK. Their services integrate with other modes of transport and can play a vital role in tackling the challenges facing urban policymakers, whether it is reducing congestion and the threat of terrorism or improving air quality and road safety,” Poston continued.

The BVRLA has made its own contribution to this agenda by publishing its new Mobility Credits Scrappage Scheme policy paper. This makes the case for a nationally funded, locally targeted vehicle scrappage scheme that offers a mobility credit in exchange for a household scrapping its older, more polluting vehicle. This credit can be spent on more sustainable ‘pay-as-you-go' private and public transport modes, including car and bike hire, car clubs, trams, buses and trains.

As well as reducing emissions, this scheme advances the shift away from private car ownership and increases the availability of road space in crowded urban areas. A mobility credits scheme can be used in conjunction with new technologies such as integrated Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platforms to incentivise more sustainable journeys involving public, shared and active transport.

The BVRLA and its members are already engaging with local and national policymakers to set out the role they can play in delivering the benefits promised by new mobility technologies and businesses models. Enterprise Rent-A-Car is currently working with Transport for West Midlands on a Mobility Credits Scrappage Scheme pilot.

“Over recent months, I have been delighted that policymakers see car rental and club as a key part of the mass transit solution in urban areas,” said Ben Lawson, Vice President of Strategy and Mobility at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. “Mobility Credits represent a real opportunity to change the behaviour of residents and will see a rise in people opting to use a variety of modes to meet their needs. Initially credits will help with reducing NoX emissions, but if they are delivered via a MaaS platform then it will ensure Britain has a adopted a pioneering and sustainable approach to transport policy.”