The University of Warwick has been selected to participate in the Department for Transport’s £20 million Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Programme.

Warwick is one of only two UK higher education institutions taking part in the programme, which is aimed at supporting the demonstration and use of more fuel efficient vehicles in the public sector.

The programme was announced by the Government in October last year as one of a number of initiatives to encourage the mass production of green vans for the first time. The University will receive funding towards the purchase or lease  of low carbon vehicles or all-electric vehicles for their fleets.

Ten companies have been short-listed to bid to supply both low carbon and all-electric vans to the public sector. Following a strict procurement programme, participants are expected to begin ordering low carbon or all-electric vehicles for their fleets from May 2009.

Initially six public sector organisations were selected to participate in the first phase of the programme which included: Royal Mail; H M Revenue & Customs; Metropolitan Police; Transport for London; Environment Agency; Government Car and Despatch Agency.

The programme was then extended to all UK local authorities who were invited to submit bids to participate in the first phase. Coventry City Council together with University of Warwick and Coventry University formed a consortium called the Coventry Low Carbon Fleet Partnership and submitted a joint bid which, following a UK-wide competitive process, was successful.

University of Warwick Transport Manager Graham Hine said: “This is great news for Warwick and will go a long way to help us meet our environmental targets on campus.  Being involved in an innovative programme aimed at stimulating the market for low carbon and all-electric vans in the UK is an exciting opportunity for Warwick to lead the way in the deployment of such vehicles for everyday operations. We already operate three electric vehicles which are used for security patrols, grounds maintenance and catering deliveries. These have proved to be a great success and we are keen to add more low carbon vehicles to our fleet.”

The full list of participants who will be the first to trial green vans in the UK include: Royal Mail; H M Revenue & Customs; Metropolitan Police; Transport for London; Environment Agency; Government Car and Despatch Agency and councils from Liverpool, Newcastle, Gateshead, Glasgow, Leeds and the Coventry Low Carbon Fleet Partnership of Coventry City Council, University of Warwick and Coventry University.

Notes to editors
For more details, contact Kelly Parkes-Harrison, Communications Officer, University of Warwick, 02476 150483, 07824 540863, k.e.parkes@warwick.ac.uk