Center Parcs
Key contact: Mike Henderson, UK Project Manager, Operations
Fleet profile: 138 LCVs, including 25 electric vehicles; 58 company cars
Business: Short break holiday operator
Locations: Four purpose-built villages – Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire; Longleat
Forest, Wiltshire; Elveden Forest, Suffolk; and Whinfell Forest, Cumbria. A fifth village is planned at Woburn.

Environmentally-focused short break holiday operator Center Parcs has integrated electric vehicles into its fleet as part of the drive to reduce its transport carbon footprint.

Center Parcs has four UK holiday villages – Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, Longleat in Wiltshire, Elveden Forest in Suffolk, and Whinfell Forest in Cumbria – each typically covering 400 acres and providing guests with high quality accommodation in fully equipped villas, apartments and holiday lodges.

Guests walk or cycle around the villages, which are located in picturesque forests, and they have an expectation that Center Parcs will be environmentally-friendly.

The organisation is already a low energy user in terms of running its own sewage plants, recycling its water and water farming, but its ‘green’ transport ambitions have historically been foiled by zero-tailpipe emission electric vehicle technology not meeting its operational requirements. However, technological advances mean that 22 Aixam and three Modec electric vehicles have now joined Center Parcs’ 138-strong light commercial vehicle fleet and the figure will increase.

Simultaneously, Center Parcs has worked with fleet management partner CLM and the Energy Saving Trust to ‘green’ its 58-strong company car fleet and replace almost 100 ageing petrol and diesel-engined vans with new low-emission diesel models.

Electric vehicles
Eighteen per cent of the Center Parcs’ LCV fleet is now composed of Aixam Mega Multi Trucks and Modec electric vans. The vehicles are located at three villages. However, at Longleat and the planned new flagship village at Woburn, which is due to open in 2010/11, hilly terrain makes the existing electric van technology unsuitable.

Mr Henderson, Center Parcs’ UK Project Manager, Operations explained: “We want our villages, and particularly the new Woburn Village, to be as low emission as possible to support our brand values. We want to talk to any vehicle providers who have robust low or zero emission vehicles that will meet our operational needs and drive down our carbon footprint.” As a result, Center Parcs continues to research and monitor low emission technology in preparation for fleet specifications for the new village and opportunities at Longleat.

Mike Henderson said: “Wherever we can, we will use electric vehicles as long as they are fit for purpose.” The comprehensive overhaul of the entire Center Parcs’ fleet started then the Energy Saving Trust completed a Green Fleet Review of existing operations, and CLM was appointed to source, manage and dispose of all vehicles. All petrolengined and diesel LCVs on the fleet have now been replaced with new low emission Euro4-compliant diesel engined Ford Transit Connect and Mercedes Vito models. In the future they are expected to be replaced by more electric vehicles.

Investment in a green future
Center Parcs has invested about £2 million in introducing new low emission diesel and zero emission electric vehicles to its fleet. The company expects operating costs across replacement cycles of up to five years to reduce by up to 20 per cent achieving significant carbon footprint reductions. Mr Henderson said: “We believe in investing in the future and our guests demand that we are innovative in meeting our environmental obligations.”

“ We believe in investing in the future and our guests demand that we are innovative in meeting our environmental obligations.” Mike Henderson, UK Project Manager, Operations Center Parcs.

While Center Parcs’ ‘green credentials’ are long-established, it is only recently that vehicle technology has caught up with its aspirations. After a false start several years ago because the vans were not ‘fit-for-purpose’, Center Parcs staff were understandably apprehensive about the new electric vehicle scheme.

However, said Mr Henderson: “We involved staff in vehicle trials and asked them to help design the vehicles to ensure they did the job expected of them. We then held driving familiarisation courses. Now employees would drive nothing else.”

“By investing in technology we are reducing our carbon footprint and reinforcing to guests that they have made the ‘right choice’ in holidaying in villages surrounded by  trees and animals. Guests used to complain about the vehicles. But we have listened to their views and acted because electric vehicles are now a viable proposition.”

“We explain to guests why vehicles are essential and through careful selection we are trying to be as environmentally-friendly as possible and are at the cutting-edge of technology with our use of electric vehicles.”

Expert advice essential
Center Parcs has worked hand-in-hand with experts at the Energy Saving Trust and CLM to implement its low emission vehicle strategy and Mr Henderson said: “It is vital that other like-minded organisations get professional help and guidance. “The support of both organisations has been invaluable and our business will only benefit. Low and zero emission vehicles are the future for fleets if they want to improve operating efficiencies.”

But, he added: “To achieve low carbon ambitions, companies must have buy-in from the top to drive the programme. We have that at Center Parcs and introducing electric vehicles paves the way for an even greener future. But it is only the start of our low carbon journey, which continues to evolve as we also educate our employees and our guests about how they too can reduce their carbon footprint.”

Source: Energy Saving Trust