Brighton's 'muesli belt' is getting greener with the launch of a car share scheme.

The trendy suburb of Hanover is pioneering the city's first car club in an effort to cut congestion and parking problems in its narrow streets.

Members will pay a £50 annual fee entitling them to use one of a pool of vehicles, which will be parked in their reserved bays dotted around the area.

The charge will be £2.30 an hour and 15p a mile each time a car is taken out.

Members will not have to pay extra for servicing, maintenance, insurance or tax.

Bookings will be made by phone or internet and journey time and mileage data will be beamed back to a booking centre from an on-board computer for monthly billing.

Organisers of the scheme, which has been backed by £20,000 of lottery cash, hope its success will inspire others across the city and dramatically free up gridlocked streets.

Similar projects have been successful in parts of London and Edinburgh but this is the first of its kind in Sussex.

Joyce Edmond-Smith, Brighton and Hove City Councillor for the Hanover ward, has been one of the leading figures behind the innovation.

She said: "It will take cars off the road which for the community will mean more space and less pollution.

"For people who are members of the club it will provide access to a very modern, dual fuel vehicle, which is better for the environment.

"No one should be more than five minutes walk away from one of the cars."

The scheme is due to be launched on September 22.

Coun Edmond-Smith said: "Members can save a great deal of money if they always have a car outside their door but rarely use it. Once the club is up and running it should pay for itself."

The size of the Hanover club depends on how many people sign up but organisers believe it will be a sure-fire hit.

Coun Edmond-Smith said: "We're aiming to provide roughly six people to a car.

"I'm confident it will succeed and I'm also very keen that we should see this as the first step to starting a Brighton and Hove City Car Club.

"I think this would dramatically reduce the ownership of cars in the city."

For more information about car clubs go to www.carshareclubs.org.uk