Council reveals car club scheme

A council car club scheme in London will create at least 100 parking bays for member vehicles by the end of this year, it has been revealed.

The Westminster City Council plan will enable motorists to hire cars by the hour and it is hoped 400 spaces will be created after four years.

Further benefits of membership will include an hour of free parking.

Spaces will be taken from under utilised pay and displays bays, a council spokeswoman said.

The spokeswoman said residential parking spaces would not be used by the scheme.

She said work was ongoing to increase the amount of parking available in Westminster.

The council has said the scheme will be the first local authority run one of its kind.

Brian Mooney from the Association of British Drivers

Council's car club parking plans

It is hoped the plan will help cut congestion and pollution.

Once a member, motorists will be able to book one of a range of vehicles which will be parked at nearby on-street bays and be charged under a 'pay-as-you-go' tariff.

Councillor Danny Chalkley, cabinet member for city management, said: "Because of our central London location there is huge pressure on residents' parking and we hope that this new scheme will help to reduce this by potentially taking hundreds of cars off Westminster's roads.

"Car clubs have already proved hugely successful in other parts of the country, and given the current economic climate it is more important than ever to provide a cost effective solution to car use in the capital."