Do you use Streetcar? If so, how have you found the service?

We have been using Streetcar for about six months now and find it very useful. However, we have come across a few problems lately.

For those of you who don't know - you join Streetcar and give them you credit card details. This allows you to rent a nearby car online in half hour periods. You can use the petrol card in the car and the amount of petrol used will be recharged to you, although you do get the first 30 miles free.

To open the car, you place your membership card over the card reader in the windscreen and the doors open. Look inside the glove box and you type in your membership number which allows you to take the keys. That's it! Despite it sounding a bit complicated, it all works remarkably easily. And if you should ever have a problem, just call the telephone number and the customer service people are the best we have ever dealt with.

However, we've had a few problems with the service lately. We usually use one of the two cars that are parked on the road next to the clock tower in Claremont Road. Just lately we've noticed that one of the cars is no longer available (due to lack of demand at this time of year apparently) and the other has now disappeared due to it being involved in a road accident.

There are two other places in Surbiton where Streetcars are kept - Langley Road and Palace Road. But often theses cars are booked out for a couple of hours during the middle of the day, which prevents anyone using them for a longer time. There are other cars in central Kingston, but that's when this type of service becomes less convenient.

We reckon that for this service to really take off, Surbiton needs lots more Streetcars in nearby streets. If this type of service can't work in Surbiton, with all of its flats and little room for parking, then it can't work anywhere.

What do you think? We'd love to know your views.

Been using it for a year and a half. As far as I am aware, they are proposing installing a number of extra locations locally ... the top of Cadogan Road is the most "Surbiton", with Fasset Road also coming in the future (just on edge of Surbiton boundaries near the Waggon & Horses. Also likely coming are Worthington Road, Cheyne Hill and Howard Road.

For me, it's perfect. I wouldn't really want to hire for more than a few hours at a time and if I need a car for longer (e.g. a long weekend), I will hire one from one of the "proper" hire companies. The beauty of this *is* to get a car for a few hours and not take them for long periods ... the 30 mile limit really stops you from popping down to Wales for the weekend at a reasonable cost. I'm sure this is here to discourage long term hiring. In conjunction with Avis etc, it works really well. I've stopped borrowing my brothers car, as it was such a faff having to ask ... :)

Occasionally the cars can be returned late, but there is a harsh penalty for this, therefore encouraging people to make sure they book enough time. The minimum amount of time you can book is 30 mins. Another thing is that twice a month, if you take the car through a car wash (e.g. Total on Brighton Road) they pay for this (as well as all fuel, insurance, congestion charge etc) and will compensate you with an hours free driving .. so if you have to pop somewhere for 30 mins, make it an hour and you get that time for free :)

There is also an iPhone app where you can book a car when out and about, as well as lock and unlock the car with. I've hired cars when out shopping when I realise that I need to pop over to out of town shopping centres (B&Q etc). If I'm in Kingston, I'll hire one from there and drop it back once I've emptied it ..

Just to also point out, that there is a no pets policy .. if you think that you'll be taking pooch to the park in it, you can't.

However, if you are thinking of this it's a great system and I thoroughly recommend it. And when I say recommend it, here's a link that will get you £20 worth of free driving ... http://tinyurl.com/265vheo

Alos, just to mention, I also sometimes do a heavy shopping at Waitrose and book a car for when I expect to be finished. I'll be back before the end of 30 mins, so it's half the price of the on-line deliveries :)

So, that Golf on Claremont Road that I used on Saturday for 2.5 hours was just a figment?