Agenda item

With reference to article 28 of the minute of the meeting of the Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure Committee of 23 February, 2010, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure which provided an update on the proposal to introduce a car club and the proposed locations of car club parking bays in various locations in Aberdeen City Centre.

By way of background, the report reminded members that in October 2009 the Council had commissioned its term consultant, AECOM, to establish whether a car club was feasible for the City. A car club was an organisation that owned and maintained a fleet of cars from which its members could book a car for however long they needed it. The club paid for all tax, insurance, servicing, cleaning and fuel, whilst members usually paid a joining fee and subsequently for each journey they make.

The main findings of the Aberdeen Feasibility report were as follows:- the conditions for a successful car club existed in Aberdeen;  there were a number of suitable on and off street locations within the City for car club parking bays; Aberdeen City Council would have to provide promotional support; a model of using pool cars would reduce initial capital investment and act as a catalyst to allow further growth; and a traffic regulation order (TRO) would be required. 

On consideration of the report findings, the Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure Committee gaveauthorisation for officers to proceed with a tender exercise in order to establish commercial interest and then engage a provider for a car club in Aberdeen. Three car club operators expressed an interest and were invited to carry out a short presentation to officers from Aberdeen City Council and partners regarding the benefits of car clubs and how they operated. Tender documentation was in the process of being finalised with the Central Procurement Unit and was expected to be sent out to the interested car club operators in December 2010. Returned tender documentation was expected in January 2011. If a successful tenderer was forthcoming a car club operator could be appointed in March 2011.

In terms of location for car club spaces, it was advised that a number of locations have been identified, in consultation with road safety and traffic management colleagues, for car club bays throughout the City Centre and were highlighted in Appendix A. The locations had been chosen to have a minimum impact on existing residential and pay and display parking bays as it was appreciated parking in the city centre was already at a premium. Out of the 20 possible locations, listed below, 5 bays were located in existing on-street parking spaces.

Another location identified for a car club space was within Aberdeen Rail Station, however agreement would be required from Network Rail and First ScotRail before a space would be installed.

Should the legislation be successful it was planned to implement the car club bays by the end of this financial year.

Finally, it was highlighted that as a car club was a new concept to Aberdeen a comprehensive publicity campaign would be required to be undertaken to enable full understanding by members of the public. As such, it was proposed to engage with the local press and the Council’s corporate communications team to highlight the new car club bays to citizens and visitors of / to Aberdeen.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to note the progress made towards the introduction of a car club in the City;

(ii)        to instruct officers to commence the initial statutory consultation for Roads Legislation to introduce car club parking bays in various locations in Aberdeen City Centre, and if no significant objections were received, then to progress with the public advertisement and implementation; and

(iii)       to request officers to arrange a presentation on the Car Club Scheme for all Councillors.