One carsharing vehicle can replace 12-15 private cars on our roads. Could this concept be a solution to traffic chaos in Luxembourg?
Driving during rush hour in Luxembourg puts anyone's nerves to the test. Add to that the trouble finding parking at your destination, and it can quickly drive you to despair.
Carsharing could be a solution to many of these problems, says a new study by the Ministry for Transport, done in conjunction with a Swiss mobility cooperative and a number of experts.
Luxembourg has the highest rate of car ownership in the EU, with nearly 700 cars per 1000 residents in 2019, according to Eurostat.
Carsharing could reduce this number, with households abandoning at least their second (or third) car, said the group of experts.
© Image Eurostat
Under this model, a car can be booked in advanced and picked up at a location. Payment covers time and distance driven. Once at your destination, the car can be dropped off at a specified location.
This is already available in Luxembourg, but the plan is to expand it in future. "One such shared car can replace 12 to 15 private cars on our roads," said Minister for Transport François Bausch.
But beside relieving public space, carsharing is also convenient for its users.
"You don't have to look after the car, no tyre changes, no check ups, no washing the car. You use it and drop it off. And you always have parking," said Michael Glotz-Richter from the group of experts.
Needless to say, this model is much cheaper than car ownership. It can save between 4000 and 5000 euros a year, experts estimate.
Despite these obvious advantages, carsharing is not that well known in our car-loving nation. A 2018 TNS-Ilres survey found that only 2% of respondents had used carsharing, with around a fifth saying they were hoping to try it.
And today? We asked people at a shopping centre car park and found a variety of reactions. People questioned how they would get to work, while others argued they already had a car. Children were also brought up as an argument for car ownership.
Offering more carsharing locations near workplaces could help popularise the model, said the experts at a press conference on Tuesday morning. Currently there are around 20 locations in Luxembourg City, with 50 additional locations maintained by the government around the country. A return trip from Kirchberg to Kockelscheuer costs around 13 euros.
But carsharing could also become a viable alternative outside of the city. To this end, the Ministry for Transport is planning a pilot project with two other municipalities, though details are yet to be worked out.
