A new mobility hub developed by leading car sharing firm Co Cars to give residents of a new housing development in Exeter access to a range of transport options has been recognised by a leading charity.
CoMoUK, a charity that promoted shared transport options, has given a gold award, its highest standard of accreditation, to a new Co Cars mobility hub that has been installed on the new Seabrook Orchards site in the Devon city.
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The facility is designed to give residents of the development easy access to shared, public and active travel options. It features a dedicated parking space with a dedicated charger for a Co Cars shared Volkswagen ID 3, along with a Co Bikes docking station that houses the firm’s e-bikes. The site is next to both a dedicated cycle route and a bus stop that offers connections to Exeter and Exmouth.
Residents of Seabook Orchard were given a year of free membership and a driving credit to the Co Cars car club. Since the hub was opened in June there have been close to 2000 e-bike rentals and 20 per can’t utilisation of the car. The bulk of e-bike journeys have been to Exeter city centre, train stations and the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, suggesting they are being used for retail, onward travel and commuting.
The chargers for the shared cars and the e-bikes is powered by renewable energy produced by Good Energy. The mobility was installed in partnership with Devon County Council, developer Bloor Homes and Darts Farm, which is the landowner and management agent.
The Devon hub is just the second to receive accreditation from CoMoUK. To achieve that it is measured against six design areas, including visibility, a choice of sustainable transport options and the ease of switching transport mode.
CoMoUK chief Richard Dilks said: “Mobility hubs are increasingly popular on the continent and it’s time for the UK to embrace this idea to improve air quality, decarbonise the transport sector, support more active travel, and revitalise town centres for local communities.”
Co Cars boss Nic Eversett said: “Mobility hubs make it very easy for people to make more sustainable travel choices - it’s been fantastic to see residents embrace the services it offers. Moreover, the hub has also sparked the interest of our stakeholders, including on-site visits to find out more. We look forward to launching more in the years to come.”
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