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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 20 March 2009

£500,000 boost for Car Club

ISLINGTON’S Car Club, which allows drivers to hire vehicles for under £5 an hour, has won a double funding boost.
The Town Hall has agreed to pump £500,000 into the scheme, and Transport for London (TfL) has topped that up with another £75,000.
Islington has one of the most popular Car Clubs in the UK, with 5,000 drivers signed up. It means fewer people have to own cars, resulting in fewer vehicles on streets.
Lib Dem environment chief Councillor Greg Foxsmith said: “The Car Club is going from strength to strength. We’re not far off our goal of having a self-service car available within five minutes’ walk of every resident.
“We’ve managed to make it affordable and simple to use – which is why it’s the most popular scheme of its kind in the country. The good news is that there’ll be less carbon emissions and fewer vehicles on our streets.”
The extra funding will allow the network of Car Club bays to be expanded – there are already nearly 150.
The club, run by Streetcar, offers self-service cars for rent by the hour, day, week or month. Booking is via website or phone and bills are sent out each month. To join, applicants need to fill out a form and complete a DVLA check. Registration costs £49.50 and provides a Streetcar smartcard, allowing electronic access to the vehicles, fully comprehensive insurance, support team and breakdown service.
Compared to average costs per year – based on two trips a week in a VW Golf – the club saves drivers £1,902 a year. Six street vans are available.

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