Hereford car share group given free city parking space

The parking space at the Nelson Street car park would ordinarily cost £480 a year

A car sharing club has been given free use of a space in a council-owned car park in Hereford.

St James & Bartonsham Car Club members had found it difficult to return club cars to the same place they borrowed them from.

Herefordshire Council has set aside the space in Nelson Street, which would normally cost £480 a year.

The authority said it would consider requests from other groups, as long as it does not become too expensive.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the authority agreed it would be "prohibitive" to charge the club to use the space.

It already funds a space for a similar group in the town of Kington.

According to the Car Share Herefordshire website, there are now five clubs in the county - overseen by Malvern Hills Car Clubs - in Colwall, Ledbury, Leominster and Fownhope, with three more planned.

The St James club said it welcomed enquiries from new members, whose car usage would typically be about two or three times a week, and under 6,000 miles per year.

It said for these people "it would probably be cheaper to belong to a car club than to pay your own tax and car insurance costs".