Europcar’s new "Hourly Hire Service" program in the United Kingdom delivers vehicle rental on demand — or fleet “car sharing” — both for car and van rental.

“Car hire can be an incredibly flexible alternative to public transport, especially with the recent fare rises that have been introduced,” said Ken McCall, managing director, Europcar UK Group. “But we know that some motorists may be put off by having to commit to the cost of a full day’s hire, which has always been the traditional way this service has been charged. With our new Hourly Hire Service we wanted to break the rules to give motorists more flexibility — and take away the barrier of cost. We are, therefore, offering busy travellers the ultimate in convenience, as well as taking the stress and expense out of owning a car in the city.”

The service is available for a minimum of a two hour reservation and maximum of eight hours — Monday through Friday check-outs only and only Monday through Wednesday for Central London check-outs. Van rental excludes all airports. Rates start at £10 an hour for car rental and £11 an hour for van rental.

The service is available through Europcar’s website at www.europcar.co.uk.