Drivers in Calderdale will soon be able to ditch their own cars and borrow one instead.

A new Car Club is to be launched in Halifax town centre where members needing a ride can book a motor.

Four cars will be based at the Halifax Railway Station car park for members to hire for as little as half-an-hour. More will be added later.

Calderdale Council has hailed the car clubs, also found in Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield, as a “greener, more convenient and cost effective alternative” to car ownership for short journeys. There is no local authority scheme in Kirklees at the moment.

Car clubs provide members with vehicles for as long or as little as they need them. Cars are available 24/7 and are located in dedicated parking bays.

The cars are designed to complement the use of public transport, walking and cycling, giving people access to a car when they need one without the cost of private car ownership or traditional car hire.

Anyone over 19 with a valid driving licence can become a member of the Car Club. Membership starts at £60 per year, with hourly or daily rates for using the cars. There are no petrol costs, and membership covers the insurance.

Vehicles can be booked on the internet or by phone, days, weeks, months or as little as a minute in advance.

Once a booking is made, members can simply unlock the car using their personal smart card and PIN and drive away.

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Calderdale Council’s Cabinet member for skills and the environment, Clr Jenny Lynn, said: “By joining other West Yorkshire authorities in establishing a car club, we can help businesses, residents and visitors travel to places that can’t be accessed by public transport.

“Having a car at the station means that visitors from other towns or cities can easily continue their journey from the train.

“Car clubs can also help to reduce emissions and ease congestion. All the vehicles are low emission or ultra low emission, and evidence shows one car club vehicle leads to removal of 25 private cars from roads as people either choose not to travel their entire journey by car or adopt a shared-car ownership.”

For more information about Car Club visit www.citycarclub.co.uk.