WESTMINSTER City Council is the latest signatory to the London First Clean Air Charter for Fleet Best Practice. The council is recognised for pioneering environmental initiatives - particularly in the transport field - such as introducing free parking for electric vehicles and running its own fleet of 130 vehicles on low-sulphur diesel.

Launched last summer (Fleet News July 7, 1995), the Clean Air Charter is designed to improve air quality in the capital by promoting professional fleet management practices to London-based fleet operators. In total, 26 fleets covering more than 100,000 vehicles have already signed up to the charter, with the latest signatories including Whitbread and the Booker Foodservice Group.

As well as using current best fleet practices, Westminster is planning to buy gas-powered and electric vehicles for operational use and has a long term objective of running a fleet consisting entirely of low emission vehicles.The council is also working alongside London Transport and taxi firms to convert public transport to cleaner fuels like low-sulphur diesel and natural gas.