100 people sign up for car pool

The cross-border car-share scheme - provided by liftshare - was announced by Roads Minister Conor Murphy late last year

Dozens of people living primarily in the Donegal, Londonderry, Strabane and Letterkenny areas are now using the Car Share North West website to share their vehicles on the way to work.

Mr Murphy said the initiative has really taken off over the past four months with over 100 people using it and with the www.carsharenw.com site receiving thousands of hits.

The Roads Minister outlined the achievements of the local car-polling project during a debate on cross-border transport at the Stormont Assembly.

He said he was working closely with his southern counterpart Noel Demspey to promote sustainable transport.

"We are looking at initiatives in different parts of the island and are sharing experience and best practice," he said. "As I said in my statement, the car-sharing initiative was launched in the north-west."

He added: "During the first four or five months of the initiative, there were more than 4,500 hits on its website, and more than 100 people have signed up for car sharing between Derry and Letterkenny. That will have an impact on the number of vehicles travelling to Derry each morning."

Developed by the Department for Regional Development (DRD) in partnership with Department of Transport (DT) in the south, the project is being supported by Derry City Council, Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council, as well as the local Chambers of Commerce and employers including Asda, Altnagelvin Hospital, Axa, Northbrook Technology.

Travelwise first launched its public car-share scheme in the north in 2005 and has to date over 3,000 members with a match rate of 56 per cent, including some cross-border commuters.

In February 2009, under the Smarter Travel policy, the Department of Transport outlined the Dublin Government's commitment to the creation of a sustainable travel and transport system including the promotion of car-sharing and supporting this project.