Residents of De Pijp start carpooling program themselves

There’s nothing wrong with the car to begin with. In fact, the compact Skoda looks cleaner and smoother than most cars in the Tweede Jan Steenstraat. Moreover, it is an electric car. But the biggest advantage is that the car will serve a large number of residents of the Hemony and Willibrordus district in De Pijp. So partial transport.

Car sharing as a phenomenon is not new. The particularity of the initiative in the two fairly automobile districts is that it was set up for and by the inhabitants. In the meantime, 120 people have signed up for Electric Shared Driving De Pijp (EDdePijp).

What should he give? Fewer parking spaces, fewer cars, less search traffic. Bas Groot is one of the initiators and was present on Wednesday evening at the official start of the collaboration between the district, the municipality, the district and the car rental company Diks. “Shared cars are the way. The goal is a neighborhood less dominated by cars and a livable neighborhood.

Paradoxical

Shared cars form a kind of paradoxical element in the plans. Because cars must be added before cars can disappear. “People need to trust that they can use a car share before they leave their own car behind. That’s why the installation of six car shares by Diks is an important first step in the process.

Eventually, the initiative should encourage residents to get rid of their cars and parking permits. Four parking spaces will disappear for five permits issued. Groot: “As a result, the move to shared transport provides improved public space, without increasing parking pressure.” The use of vacant space is determined by the neighborhood.

District administrator Bart Vink is enthusiastic about the initiative. The D66’er has been using shared cars for over twenty years, although mainly for shorter trips. “If I stay longer, it becomes more interesting to rent a car. I think it’s a good idea, precisely because it comes from the inhabitants themselves. The municipality already imposes enough on the inhabitants.

See first, then believe

This is only a first step for the moment: it has not yet arrived at the delivery of parking permits. Plus, Groot himself always has his own car outside the door. “I also want to see how it goes first, if a shared car would really be an alternative for me.”

When it comes to numbers, however, Groot has no doubts. Together with the other initiators, he has developed a cost calculator on which skeptics can calculate for which users a private car is secretly very expensive. “Cars have a lot of hidden costs. It’s not just gasoline, but also insurance, taxes and the cost of the parking permit.”

As an example, Groot mentions someone who drives to Wijk aan Zee four times a month. “A trip like this will cost you around 75 euros per time with an average car. For similar uses, it could be interesting to join this initiative.

Most participants are of course enthusiastic about the plan. Neighbor Boudewijn Rückert still struggles with mixed feelings, he says. Having his own car in front of the door does him good. “It depends a lot on your own usage. If the car is mostly stationary, it can certainly make sense to use shared transport. But maybe I use my car too regularly. I have to think about it more.