BSM Fleet Training could be operating on a pan-European basis by the end of the century following parent company BSM's £1.8 million acquisition of a Dutch driving school. Britain's largest driving school's first foray into Europe comes with the purchase of Verkeersoefencentrum Zuid-Nederland, which last year taught 4,400 new pupils.

Chief executive Richard Glover said while the Dutch company did not have a fleet training arm, BSM was looking to bring its skills and technology into the Dutch market and there were significant opportunities to develop, including fleet training. Like the UK market, the Dutch driver tuition market is highly fragmented.

'Pan-European is the way forward for the whole of our business,' Glover said. 'We have an infrastructure in the UK from which we can build a top quality fleet business into Holland and we can move on from there. It is our plan, and this is the first step, not just to build a single market in the UK but to develop across Europe, particularly in northern Europe.'

Chris Reynolds, managing director of BSM Fleet Training, said: 'The fleet driver training market lacks a genuine pan-European supplier. This is one step forward and hopefully there is more to come with other acquisitions.' Meanwhile, BSM Fleet Training is to appoint a head of business development with backing from a marketing manager to take charge of the partnerships development.