Assembly statement on the closure of Zipcar in London

Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, Elly Baker AM, said:

“There is currently a patchwork approach to car clubs in London and they are failing to reach their full potential. This makes London a very hard city for car club operators to work in and could be one of the reasons for the closure of Zipcar.

We need to see action from Transport for London (TfL) to establish a pan-London policy on car clubs to enable a more even distribution of car clubs throughout London, make them easier for Londoners to use and raise awareness.

Our recent report ‘TfL’s Stalling Car Clubs’ recommended:

• In the next London Plan, the Mayor should recognise the important part that car clubs can and should play in London’s transport mix. This should include support for car clubs by recognising them as an option that enables people to reduce their car use or give up their private car.
• Within the next 12 months the Mayor should, through TfL and working with London’s boroughs, develop and seek to reach agreement on a pan-London action plan for car clubs. This action plan should address the low provision of car clubs in outer London, providing car clubs with equal or lower financial exemptions than private cars, and guidelines on parking bay provision.
• As part of its work on a pan-London action plan for car clubs, TfL should develop and roll out an awareness-raising campaign. To assist in creating a wide and diverse user base, this should inform Londoners on what car clubs are, how they can access them, and the benefits that they provide.

Unfortunately, the Mayor recently rejected our call for TfL to develop a pan-London action plan – but the fact remains that TfL is stalling progression of car clubs in London, hence, the industry is in decline.