THE Metropolitan Police Service has outsourced the maintenance and repair of its 3,500-strong non-covert fleet in a seven-year deal worth £53 million. Venson has won the contract to handle the repair and maintenance of the police force's fleet, including cars, motorcycles, vans and larger commercial vehicles, operating mostly within the M25.

Other areas of fleet management will remain in-house, as will the entire operation of the force's covert fleet, and the force will continue to own all its vehicles. A contract is still to be awarded for the equipping of vehicles with sirens, lights, radio and livery, as part of the internal efficiency review of the force's support services.

Venson is to use MPS workshops and 80 staff are transferring from the MPS to the new contractor. There will be no job losses. The company will also use its own technical facilities and urgent response mobile units using state of the art communications technology to keep the force vehicles on the road and minimise downtime.