Car club launched for Chichester

The club is being set up by Chichester District Council, but the eventual aim is to transfer the running of it to a group of residents.

The council plans to buy two cars, one for the community and one for businesses, funded by part of a £25,000 grant from the Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Members would then pay a one-off £25 fee, then book the car online for the date required. After collecting it from one of several dedicated parking spaces around the city, the driver would then pay an hourly charge and mileage rate.

Senior health environmental health officer Simon Ballard said: “It is a much cheaper option for those who drive less than 6,000 miles a year, saving around £3,500 per year. It also saves all the hassle of owning your car.

“From a young mum wanting to take her child out, to a retired person wanting to attend an appointment, to a business person attending a meeting, everyone can benefit.

“Our aim is to encourage local people to run the scheme. We want local people to make the decisions on the options available and how it should be run. We believe it can be self-funding within two years.”