FLEET managers have given a proposed national league table of companies' driver safety standards a sceptical welcome. Even the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents does not seem to be rushing to back the league table unveiled last week by the Driving Standards Agency.

Speaking at the Midlands regional meeting of the Association of Car Fleet Operators, RoSPA road safety adviser Dave Rogers said the organisation was arranging a meeting to discuss the finer details of the proposals. 'There is the danger that the league table will upset more organisations than it will please and will therefore be ignored. Without legislation supporting it, the results may mean nothing,' he said. 'We want to see more information on how the table would be run and what steps would be taken to encourage poorly performing companies to improve their accident rate.'

The Driving Standards Agency has stressed that the emphasis is initially on encouraging companies to be more responsible. Should this fail, however, and fleet drivers remained in greater danger of being involved in road accidents than private motorists, enforcement through legislation would be considered.

the Midlands ACFO meeting gave the plans a cautious welcome. Phil O'Brien, who manages Severn Trent Water's 1,700-car fleet, says the details are unclear. Similarly, Midlands ACFO vice-chairman Malcolm Beresford-Dutton asked for DSA reassurance that the table would not simply mean more 'red tape' for fleets.