BT1644 Feasibility for Town Wide Car Club

Tender description

In response, the council is seeking to understand the feasibility of a commercial town wide car club for public for public use. A car club is defined in this context as a commercial model that uses a pay-per-trip/mile approach that allows individuals and businesses to have unattended access to a personal vehicle without being tied to ownership. Using electronic systems, customers access cars for short-term rental, often by the hour. Car club models are usually categorised into round-trips, where the vehicle must be returned to its home station, and flexible, which allows a one-way trip. Policy 1 of Luton’s Local Transport Plan 4 commits to working with developers and partners to actively promote a range of initiatives to encourage “shared transport”. The council’s EV chargepoint strategy supports an e-car club pilot scheme in Luton. Before the pandemic, the council operated a car club for public and employee use. It consisted of four Nissan LEAF EVs. Luton’s e-car club provided a convenient and affordable way of travelling by car in the town, supported by dedicated parking spaces and competitive charges. Cars were booked online and were well utilised. The global pandemic caused unprecedented changes to travel consumption, trip patterns and a requirement for more intensive cleaning regimes. As a result, the scheme was withdrawn and has not yet been reinstated. The council is therefore ready to test the demand for an e-car club in the town, guided by the DfT’s published car clubs: local authority toolkit.