Car Clubs in the Royal Borough of Kingston

What is a car club?

A car club is a scheme that allows residents to 'pay as they go' for their car use and use a car when they really need it, without the cost or hassle of owning one.

Benefits

Owning a car can be really expensive when you add up the cost of tax, MOT, servicing, repairs and depreciation, not to mention the rising cost of fuel! When you join a car club all these costs are included, so you’ll never be hit by unexpected repair bills and you only pay for the car when you need it, not when it’s sitting on the drive.

For people who don’t use their car every day but still want to drive now and again, giving up your own car and joining a car club instead can deliver big savings. Users who drive less than 6,000 miles annually could save up to £3,500 a year.

As well as the cost savings, joining a car club also frees you from the hassle of arranging servicing and renewing insurance. You’ll get to drive a smart, clean and reliable vehicle and have use of a dedicated parking bay, so won’t have the hassle of searching for a space.

How does it work?

To access the service, users must first register as a member of the car club. Payment usually involves a monthly membership fee and an hourly charge each time the car is used. Cars can be booked, via the phone or the internet, between weeks and minutes in advance and for as little as one hour or much longer. Members will be given a swipe card and PIN to access the car.

Car clubs in the Royal Borough of Kingston (RBK)

After a competitive tendering process, Streetcar has been selected by Kingston Council as its car club partner. Streetcar will provide vehicles at all on street car club bays created within the Borough over the next 3 years.

The Borough’s first on street bays were launched in July 2008, in Claremont Road, Surbiton. The Council will be working closely with Streetcar to expand the network of on street bays available over the coming years. If you would like to suggest a location for a car club, please contact the Council on 020 8547 5865 or rsta@rbk.kingston.gov.uk .

As well as the on-street bays, Streetcar already have several vehicles in off-street locations around the borough (see Streetcar’s website for all locations).

Streetcar’s vehicles are mostly Volkswagen Golfs and Polos, with some vans available for moving heavy loads.

Hourly rates start from £3.95, or £39.50 per 24 hours, including 30 miles' worth of free petrol.

In addition to Streetcar, one other car club operator, WhizzGo, currently has cars off-street in RBK.

More information

For further impartial information about car clubs and to view car club locations for all operators or find your nearest car, you can visit Transport for London’s car club website or Car Plus, a national charity promoting responsible car use.

If you are interested in joining a car club, or are an existing member with a general query, please visit the operator websites, linked below.

If you have specific questions about the Council’s policies on car clubs or would like to suggest new car club locations, you can contact the Council on 020 8547 5865 or rsta@rbk.kingston.gov.uk