ALD Automotive has secured a three-year solus contract hire with maintenance framework agreement with Thames Water.

Thames Water presently operates a fleet of some 2,700 vehicles and mobile plant equipment, which includes 1,600 LCVs, 700 essential business user company cars and 50 HGVs.

Currently, more than 750 units, mainly vans and company cars, are leased from a number of different suppliers. In the current financial year, to 31 March 2010, 500 vehicle leases will expire, with Thames Water now set to replace all those units through ALD Automotive.

“We have a number of vehicle leasing suppliers, but we wanted to consolidate arrangements with one organisation to increase efficiencies and further improve fleet management reporting,” explained Terry Loizou, group fleet and transport services manager at Thames Water.