City of Port Phillip's Car Share Policy provides strategic direction for the management of car share in our neighbourhoods. View Council's Car Share Policy 2023-2028.

What is car share?

Car share is a cost-effective alternative to owning a car, giving you 24/7 access to a vehicle on an “as needs basis”. Registration, maintenance, insurance and fuel are covered by membership, and you only pay for the time and distance that you travel.

Car share vehicles provide residents and businesses access to safe and affordable transport, while freeing up parking and helping to reduce carbon emissions. A range of vehicles are available and can be rented for the hour or by the day, on demand.

Using car share is easy as:

  • Join a local car share provider
  • Book a vehicle by app, online or by phone
  • Unlock the vehicle as instructed by the provider
  • When finished, return the vehicle to its allocated bay.

About car share in our City

Car share offers a cost-effective alternative to owning a private vehicle. It is a great way to have access to a car without the hassle of purchasing and maintenance. A reduction in car ownership in our city can help traffic and parking pressures on our streets, benefiting the wider community.

Car share aligns with our Move, Connect Live: Integrated Transport Strategy 2018-2028, Council's vision for a connected and liveable City with a range of travel choices that are convenient, safe and accessible.

The City of Port Phillip is home to over 200 car share vehicles from our four qualified providers. Vehicles can be found in designated parking bays across the city and returned to these locations once your booking is completed. For more information on the services and to join please visit the providers sites listed below:

Some local residents make their own vehicles available for sharing through the neighbour-to-neighbour car sharing platform Uber Carshare (formerly CarNextDoor).

Benefits of car share

According to the RACV, research has shown that every car share vehicle takes around 10 cars off the road. Users of the service cut their total vehicle use by 15-50%, switching trips (previously made by cars) to public transport, walking, and cycling. Reduced vehicle ownership improves parking availability, while reducing traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.

Consultation

When a new car share bay is proposed in a location, a letter is sent to adjacent properties inviting feedback and response. Council reviews all feedback received in considering whether a proposed car share bay should be implemented.

Current new share locations currently being consulted on (May 2024) are: 

  • 265 The Boulevard (near Batman Road), Port Melbourne
  • Evans Street (near Boundary Road), Port Melbourne
  • 3 Bank Place (near Wells Street), South Melbourne
  • 196 Normanby Road (near Westgate Freeway), South Melbourne
  • 100 Albert Road (near King's Way), South Melbourne
  • 6 Tope Street (near Market Street), South Melbourne
  • 68-72 York Street (near Clarendon Street), South Melbourne 
  • 8 Louise Street (near Queens Lane), Melbourne 
  • 615 St Kilda Road (near Raleigh Street), Windsor 
  • opposite 7 Richardson Street (near Gasworks Reserve), Albert Park
  • 31 Harold Steet (near Richardson Street), Middle Park
  • opposite 188 Canterbury Road (near Tram Stop 131), Middle Park
  • opposite 8 Chaucer Street (near Renfrey Reserve), St Kilda
  • 4 Octavia Street (near St Kilda Road), St Kilda
  • 35 Mitford Street (near Dickens Street), Elwood
  • 81-83 Grosvenor Street (near Glen Eira Avenue), Balaclava

If you've received a letter about a proposed car share bay, share your feedback with us via My Port Phillip

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)