A new Government initiative is aiming to improve the efficiency and safety of Britain’s van fleet operators.

The Department for Transport has been given a rolling budget of £600,000 a year and has unveiled Van Best Practice, a programme that offers free advice on various aspects of van fleet management to operators of all sizes.

A website is up and running along with a helpline and the first two in a series of practical guides have been published.

The Van Best Practice programme was officially launched by transport minister Paul Clark.

“Vans are vital to the economy and therefore vital to our efforts to encourage low carbon transportation. This programme will help reduce emissions as well as well as assisting users to save money by reducing costs,” he told Fleet News.

“With initiatives like this which blend the right amount of innovation and determination, I am confident we will succeed in creating a greener and cleaner industry fit to meet the environmental challenges we face.”

The programme’s initial focus, which is managed by climate change consultant AEA, is on improving operational efficiency in order to reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

It is estimated that an overall improvement in fuel efficiency of just 5% would save around £250 million per year, reducing carbon emissions by three quarters of a million tonnes.

Two guides are now available: “Efficient Vans: a best practice guide to cost-effective van use” and Fuel information Pack: a step-by-step guide to managing your fuel use”.

In 2010, more guides will follow, including Safe Vans, Case Studies, Carrying Goods Safety, Van Specification and Driver Essentials.

They can either be downloaded free in PDF format or ordered in hard copies, which are printed on 75% recycled fibre. The website - www.businesslink.gov.uk/vanbestpractice - also offers other hints and tips.

There is also a hotline – 0300-1231133 – that fleet managers can call for advice.

Case study: British Gas

Some of Britain’s biggest fleets are backing the Van Best Practice programme, including British Gas, which runs 10,200 vans.

The fleet has already adopted many of the safe and efficient practices advised in the guides and three years ago decided to spend £750,000 on a safe driving initiative.

Colin Marriott, general manager for the British Gas fleet, said the move had paid off handsomely. “Accidents were down in the first two years by 19% and we’ve saved £2 million in costs,” he said.

Marriott is now in the process of fitting all his vans with telematics systems with the aim of cutting fuel costs too. At present British Gas spends £14 million on fuel.