Drivers will soon be able to rent cars in Canterbury on an hourly basis as part of a car club scheme.
Members will be able to use one of three vehicles in the city for short trips instead of their own.
The city council has approved the pay-as you-use scheme, as part of its strategy to reduce congestion. Although it will begin with just three cars, the council may build on it if it is successful.

Transport officer Ruth Goudie told the property and regeneration committee that one space in each of Holman’s Meadow, Northgate and Station Road West car parks would be for car club vehicles.

She said: “Canterbury is considered to be an ideal market for a car club to thrive. There are established car clubs in many historic English cities with good sustainable transport credentials, including Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, Bristol and York.

“It contributes to the aims of the transport strategy by reducing car traffic as members have access to a club car but are only likely to use it when one is actually required.”

The council says it accepts it will lose the revenue from three parking spaces, but will receive £3,500 from Practical, the private firm running the scheme.

Labour councillor Bernadette Fisher is backing the project. She said: “This is a great idea and it makes it worth not having a car.”

Conservative Amy Baker added: “I’ve used a similar scheme in London. It’s a great idea.”

But fellow Conservative Ian Stockley questioned whether losing the revenue from the car parking places was worth implementing the scheme.

And Cllr Sally Waters, another Conservative, asked: “If it is really successful, would it grow so that more parking spaces are allocated to the scheme? Would it be two or three spaces per car park?”

Mrs Goudie added:“We hope it would be really successful.We could charge more from the company, but if we do that they may pass the cost on to their customers.”

Practical’s website states that the annual membership for the car club is £60 with an hourly rate for a Vauxhall Corsa of £3.50 and 88p for every 15 minutes afterwards.”

The council hopes it will start in the next two to three months.