Car clubs boost responsible car use across the City

Do you ever wish you could use a car just on odd occasions, without the hassle and cost of owning one, never mind trying to park it?

by Simon Battle

Car clubs are growing gradually in Brighton and Hove. A new car will become available in Ethel Street near Hove Station later this year and there are several already accessible to local residents in the ward. Car club cars are available in Tisbury Road, Norton Road, Waterloo Street, and Holland Road.

There are three operators in the City and the websites are listed at the end of this article. The clubs vary slightly in the way they work but the principles are the same: join the car club, book the car, and drive.

Labour on the City Council supports sustainable transport initiatives, such as the provision of dedicated parking bays for car club vehicles.

“The idea of car clubs is that they discourage car ownership while enabling people to access a car when they really need to,” says Labour Councillor Vince Meegan. “Many people want to walk or use public transport but the Car Club concept means that you also have access to a car when you need it.”

“Each car club is estimated to replace 5 private cars,” says Goldsmid Labour Candidate Melanie Davis. “At the moment car clubs are still in their infancy and I would like to see access to these kind of pay-as-you-go cars in every community in the ward.”

Car club providers:

• www.citycarclub.co.uk
• www.whizzgo.co.uk
• www.mystreetcar.co.uk