RENAULT announced a £5 million van contract at the Fleet Show on Tuesday - the largest deal ever signed by the French manufacturer's light commercial vehicle department. The deal, which could last up to five years, will involve the supply of about 200 Kangoo 865D 65bhp 1.9-litre diesels every year.

It came as a special welcome present for Keith Hawes, Renault UK's new fleet and commercial vehicle operations director, who takes over from Mike Power, the manufacturer's fleet director, who is stepping down after 40 years with the French company. Hawes presented the first of the vehicles to Murray Gordon, Severn Trent Water's transport and facilities manager, on the Renault stand at the show at the NEC, Birmingham.

The vans will be used by staff, including meter readers, maintenance teams and water quality samplers, and to ensure they can carry the equipment needed, the payload area has been converted by Bristor, which has designed internal racking and external ladder and pipe carriers. John Hutchings, commercial fleet manager of Severn Trent Water, said: 'Many staff have commented that it is the best small van they have ever driven.'