'Dump second vehicle and join a car club'

Two-car families in London were today urged to consider dumping one vehicle and joining a car club instead.

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said the move could save money and cut carbon emissions.

He told the Standard: "I think Londoners will increasingly be considering whether they need a car out on the street, unused for most of the time, when they might join a car club.

"Car clubs are bringing about real change in the choices that people are making about their personal transport."

The clubs, such as Streetcar, leave cars in bays in residential areas and town centres and allow members to rent them cheaply by the hour.

The number of people around the country becoming members has reached 100,000, and car clubs are booming in the capital.

Lord Adonis is pressing local authorities to provide bays for car clubs whenever new developments are planned.

Islington has agreed that some developments can go ahead without car parks, providing the residents can have car club services.