The potential for car-sharing is not necessarily directly related to the total provision of car parking on any site, but it can be an attractive proposition for some. Not everyone needs to use a car every day and there are clear personal, financial benefits in spreading the cost of car ownership and travel among friends, colleagues or neighbours.

Car-sharing schemes can be introduced into new developments as part of a package of measures (including safe and attractive streets, good lighting and convenient cycle storage) designed to give residents and employees a realistic and attractive alternative to owning a car. Ideally, the car-share vehicles themselves should be low-emission, electric, dual-fuel hybrid models.

Such schemes are becoming more popular and assistance in establishing them is available from a number of organisations and public partnerships within the region.

Car clubs offer a pay-as-you-drive rental arrangement. This is particularly suitable within compact mixed-use developments where there is likely to be a sufficient market to make such a scheme commercially attractive

A development of at least 100 homes is considered to be the viable economic threshold for car clubs, though this does not mean that they are unsuitable for smaller developments, particularly if the scheme can be extended to the surrounding area.

Developments should be designed to facilitate car clubs either now or in the future. They should also be responsive to changes in local car-driving and car-ownership dynamics, offering the opportunity to change on-street parking spaces to car-club spaces with ease and without detriment to the streetscape.