COMPANIES with fleets totalling nearly 2,000 vehicles have given a major boost to alternative fuels by taking on liquefied petroleum gas-powered vehicles. Department store John Lewis launched a move to alternative fuels which could lead to much of its 900-plus strong fleet being converted.

It plans to take 20 vehicles converted to run on LPG on trial before deciding whether to extend use of the fuel throughout much of its fleet of 670 cars and 250 vans. The scheme will provide a major boost to alternative fuels by increasing public awareness through their use by a major high street name. The move comes as two other big fleets also give their backing to alternative fuels, with Yorkshire Water committing to converting most of its 600-strong diesel Vauxhall Astravan fleet to LPG Astravans and The More Group taking on 17 alternative fuel vehicles, with the possibility of converting 450-vehicles.

It follows hard on the heels of an announcement by the Department of Social Security that it plans to convert 200 of its car fleet to run on LPG by the millennium, with the green fleet potentially growing to between 500-600. The demand for LPG vehicles has become so great that British Gas Natural Gas Vehicles, a driving force behind the promotion of compressed natural gas as a vehicle fuel, is to extend its range to offer LPG to fleet operators.