Ask Phoebe: Special spaces for those who share

A SuperGold card. Photo / Brett Phibbs

As a SuperGold card holder, I'm finding it hard to understand the new ticket system. As I never travel before 9am, will it still be free for us or do we have to buy one of the Hop cards? If so what will it cost and how do I get one? I live on the Shore, on the coast. Ross O'Connor, North Shore.

If a SuperGold passenger does not have an AT Hop card they will need to show a paper ticket and SuperGold card to a station assistant at the manual gates in the electronic gate-line.

If travel is after 9am (ie, when it is free) they will still need to get a paper ticket from a Ticket and Top-Up machines.

They are free but have to be presented to the Veolia staff at the gate.

We've noticed some new signs around Auckland that say "car share parking only". What do they mean and who can use them?

Amy Brown, Auckland.

They have been in place since December last year, when Auckland Transport and company Cityhop started an 18-month trial for car sharing using three designated on-street parking spaces in key locations, with a view to expanding to 10 car park spaces.

The parking spaces, on Hobson St, College Hill, and Williamson Ave, are signposted as designated for car share vehicles. A further seven spaces have since been made available.

Car sharing is well established in Australia, where the city of Sydney trialled 10 dedicated on-street parking spaces in 2007 and now supports more than 4000 car share members through the provision of nearly 200 parking spaces.

In New Zealand, Cityhop has more than 500 subscribers including Government departments and universities.

Cityhop offers cars by the hour to members at multiple locations in Auckland and Wellington via a swipe card 24 hours a day. You can find out more at cityhop.co.nz