Laura Abrar from Zipcar writes: I read your interesting blog post from 05 November based on your conversation with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Transport Committee chairman Chris Glen – Challenging councils to a more enlightened view on parking.

Your thoughts on residents leaving their parking bays free for use by people and businesses is one that Zipcar has already caught onto. (We think it’s quite a good one too!) Zipcar, a car sharing club, calls it ‘barter parking’.

Zipcar works directly and sensitively with a resident to use a person’s unused or partly used parking space in order to place a Zipcar. In return, the resident receives a package of incentives. For example: monthly Zipcar membership-free driving credit; or perhaps say a mix of income/driving credit.

Each Zipcar contract is negotiated with the individual. This means that the parking space is put to good use; income is derived in a period of economic austerity; and Zipcar members get an extra space. The Zipcar is then available to all its members 24/7.

We’ve already done this successfully with homeowners. However, more recently we have extended it to commercial businesses.

In June, leading London housing association, ServiteThames, replaced its staff essential car usage policy. In return Zipcars were placed in its HQ parking lot for use by staff from 0900-1700. The cars were then available to all Zipcar members.

Chainbow, a London property management company, has also teamed up with Zipcar. Cars are based at its new Canada Water-based block. This gives local businesses and residents access to cars on demand locally at their leisure.

Zipcar responds to parking blog