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Mayor Boris Johnson promises 2,000 extra parking spaces for car clubs
David Williams, Motoring Correspondent11 Mar 2010
The number of parking spaces dedicated to car club vehicles in London is to double to 4,000, Boris Johnson announced today.
The Mayor, who is investing £500,000 to set up the new spaces by the end of next March, said: “Car clubs cut Londoners' costs, help reduce congestion and ease pressure on parking.
"They are a brilliant idea and we must surely have the largest number of users compared with any other European city.”
There are 9,000 car club members in Islington and significant numbers in Westminster, Camden, Southwark and Lambeth.
But the Mayor's transport adviser, Kulveer Ranger, wants to see car clubs take off in outer London boroughs too.
He said: “The last 12 months saw bays appear in boroughs like Brent and Merton but Richmond stood out in particular where 100 bays were installed… we're delighted that 19 boroughs have applied for Transport for London funding next year to help them provide the bays, websites and general support that car clubs require.”
Forty per cent of new car club members in the capital sell their car as a result of joining.
Reader views (14)
Wait a moment... How can Boris find those extra spaces.. when every-time I mention the fact that Westminster Council are discouraging bicycles and motorcycles he says that it is not in his remit? Yet for some reason he can find 2,000 spaces for car clubs? What a load of tosh Boris is spouting, if he really wants to solve congestion and reduce pollution, then he should be putting a lot if pressure on local authorities to provide plentiful 2 wheeled parking facilities for free. Be them pedal or powered 2 wheels, not encourage more and more cars... that is a backwards step.
- Harry, Westminster Council, England, 11/03/2010 14:06
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This cut in funding of half a million pounds a year is disappointing news. Car club membership offers real financial benefits to Londoners, especially in times of recession, and now is an ideal opportunity to expand the funding rather than cut it. The fact that 84% of all car club cars in the UK are based in London is precisely because of the sustained levels of investment by Transport for London over the last few years. The cut in car club funding is part of a bigger cut in the smarter travel budget which fell from £30 to £22m last year. I don’t understand why the Mayor seems to be pulling back on schemes which encourage people to volunteer to cut down on car use.
- Jenny Jones, London, 11/03/2010 14:05
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So.... the Conservative Mayor of London is finding space for car clubs - ok, a good idea to get people out of their own cars, but initially this will need extra space - will it not? - until they do.
Meanwhile, Conservative Westminster Council is saying that there is not enough space, except for car clubs of course which bring in cash, and is using THAT excuse to charge for motorcycles and scooters, which take up less space for 8 of them than for 1 of their car club cars...
So... when there's not enough space, the Conservative line seems to be to CHARGE for a congestion busting mode of transport, and SPEND money encouraging a congestion CAUSING mode of transport...
Where has this party and this Mayor got it's ideas from?!?! I was under the impression that they would be for less taxation and more sensible ways of spending our money...
Boris, I voted for you. Many have said I was a fool for doing so. Were they right?
- Charlie, Battersea, London, 11/03/2010 13:54
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It's actually a very good idea, myself and 5 friends have all ditched our cars over the last year and joined car clubs, which means more parking spaces on the roads.
You save a fortune as well on insurance, maintenance, depreciation, parking permits, etc.
- P Staker, London, 11/03/2010 13:19
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When I wrote to the Mayor of London about Westminster City Council charging for solo motorcycle bays, I was told that it had nothing to do with him as local councils are responsible for parking issues, unless it's on red routes (which are managed by TfL). So I don't understand how the Mayor can now provide 2000 car club spaces, surely that should be down to local councils?
- Chris, City of Westminster, London, 11/03/2010 13:16
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Amazing.
We can suddenly find another 2000 parking spaces for cars in London, yet Westminster think that they need to manage kerbside space by charging non-congesting motorcyclists to park.
Half a million quid to promote the use of congesting cars, yet motorcycles are crammed into undelineated bays and charged for what used to be free. Given that the WCC investment in 2-wheeler parking provision was only £23,000, it is obvious that congestion reduction is not the priority for such investment.
Car clubs may be a 'brilliant idea' but city-wide unresricted provision for 2-wheelers will have a more profound effect on congestion than any car scheme. Unfortunately, motorcycles never feature tangibly in any
transport stratagem, to the shame of local and national government planners.
- Bandit, Londonistan, 11/03/2010 12:48
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Yep, thats right, 2000 fewer spaces for people who are already struggling to find parking space whilst PAYING for residents permits.
I have already seen the permit spaces reduced in Camden and carclubs are not for everyone.
I have 2 dogs and no car club will give you a car if you have pets.
- Mrkp, london, UK, 11/03/2010 12:43
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Three cheers for Boris, radical stuff, lol. What happened to his election promises? Surely he promised more than this. Life under the Tories offers no change of worth
- Steve, London, 11/03/2010 12:21
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The best and most effiecient way of halting Londons congestion is if they all go somewhere else, what is the fascination with this City, surely people have better things to do with there time than to come to London and stare at Big Ben and stuff, havn't they got jobs to go to?
I went to London once and it rained, just dont see the attraction myself, a can of Coke cost me nearly a quid !
- Brian, Wiltshire, 11/03/2010 12:04
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It is assumed that people will see the folly of car ownership, dispose of their car and use public transport or car club cars, so there will not be a loss of 2,000 spaces just a sensible reallocation. Or be very sensible and get a bike - pedal or motor.
- Nelly, The Wild East, 11/03/2010 11:52
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so 2,000 fewer speaces for everyone else?
- Comrade Mugabe, New Harare, London, 11/03/2010 10:56
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Car clubs are a good idea - but if this means providing extra parking on top of existing provision, then it defeats the point.
- Liam, London, 11/03/2010 10:39
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So does that mean that there will be 2000 fewer spaces for other motorists or are these new spaces to be created.?
- Mr S.Port, London, 11/03/2010 10:38
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All I can say.. is that Westminster Council bang on about managing kerb-side space and how they don't have enough of, yet they discourage the use of powered two wheelers, which are a vital part of the transport mix.
Simple if you want to reduce congestion in London, encourage 2 wheels, be them peddled or powered, they take up minimal space, use less fuel and don't cause congestion.
Get on your bike!
- Josef, London, England, 11/03/2010 10:29
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