Drivers struggling to cope with rising fuel prices are selling their vehicles and joining car clubs instead.

High petrol and diesel prices on top of bills for insurance, tax, MoT and servicing are forcing people out of their cars to sign up for "pay-as-you-go" services.

Nearly 800 people have already signed up to Brighton and Hove City Car Club, which offers driving from £3.60 an hour including insurance and petrol.

Membership of the organisation has grown by 65% in the past six months.

The club, based in Surrey Street, Brighton, has 26 cars but due to the high demand bosses will next week introduce a further 17 city cars.

The aim of the scheme is to reduce congestion and the number of unnecessary journeys made.

The club provides 50 miles worth of fuel per car per day.

James Finlayson, chief executive of City Car Club, which operates car clubs around the country, said: "Year on year membership has grown by 130% and we expect this to be 200% by the end of the year.

"Growth in the past couple of months has been faster than ever because the cost of motoring has skyrocketed. We plan to have 100 car club cars in Brighton and Hove in the next 12 months."

The 17 new cars for Brighton and Hove will be in new locations around the city next week. The chosen spots will primarily be on-street parking bays. Mr Finlayson said: "Members save thousands of pounds if they ditch their car and take up the car club service.

"Cars are available for an hour, a day or as long as you like. If you book by the day you will be charged a maximum of ten hours. City Car Club members save the carbon equivalent of a return trip to Barcelona every year."

The cars are fitted with a specialised onboard computer and keyless entry systems.

WhizzGo, another car club operating in Brighton, has nine cars available in central locations such as Guildford Road near Brighton station and Goldstone Villas at the back of Hove station.

Annual membership costs £49.50 and means you have access to any car from the fleet, including Citroen Picassos large enough for five adults for £5.95 per hour.

For more information about Brighton and Hove City Car Club call 0845 330 1234 or visit www.citycarclub.co.uk

Other information about car clubs can be found at www.streetcar.co.uk and www.whizzgo.co.uk

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