SUNDERLAND Housing Group has brought in a fleet of 250 Vauxhall vans worth more than £3 million after a European tender process.

The vehicles will be funded on a three-year contract hire arrangement with the Royal Bank of Scotland through its Lombard asset finance arm.

The vans will be used by Sunderland Housing Group's (SHG) teams of electricians, joiners, plumbers, plasterers, bricklayers, ground maintenance and cleaning staff.SHG owns 34,500 houses in Sunderland and is involved in a massive improvement programme on the properties.

Kevin Kelly, SHG's director of corporate services, said: 'Building a first class fleet of vehicles is another element of our commitment to provide customers with first class homes and first class service.'

The group will use the new Vauxhalls for service work that needs to be carried out on its existing housing stock, including its vast modernisation programme and general repairs. They will also form part of the fleet required by the new build teams.

The vans involved in the contract are 32 Corsavans, 101 Combos, 49 Vivaros and a further 68 short, medium and long wheelbase Movanos.