Government launches Van Best Practice programme.

The Government has launched a new Van Best Practice programme, aimed at helping van operators improve efficiency and, in particular, cut fuel use. 

Larry Martindale, the Van Best Practice programme manager, said:  “Vans account for 13% of all UK road traffic, and there are roughly 3.2 million registered vans in the UK. The Van Best Practice scheme is aiming to be the leading source of free information to this huge industry. Our website will feature case studies, step-by-step guides and even video tutorials on the best practice for vans.”

The best practice guides offer practical tips and advice for fleet managers and van drivers and are available online at http://vanbestpractice.businesslink.gov.uk/cms/guides/.  

British Gas saved £2m in collision costs, vehicle downtime, worker productivity, insurance excesses and other areas after piloting the scheme across its 10,200-strong fleet of LCVs.

Colin Marriott, general manager of fleet services at Centrica, which owns British Gas, said:  “Two years ago, we set out to improve driver safety and also reduce fuel consumption. Since using Van Best Practice, we managed to reduce road traffic accidents and the costs associated with lost man-hours, vehicle repairs and downtime.  In future, we want to link our vehicle collision data with fuel efficiency data because we can establish patterns of excessive fuel use and poor road safety and take the corrective measures before any incidents happen.”