SOVEREIGN Fleet Services - the fleet leasing subsidiary of the Alliance and Leicester - is bidding for a three-fold increase in its fleet size by early next century. Manchester-based Sovereign Fleet Services was established last June, eight months after the acquisition of Sovereign Finance by the Alliance and Leicester through its Girobank subsidiary.

Following a year of consolidation during which Sovereign saw its contract hire fleet expand from 3,000 to 3,500 vehicles the company is now looking for 'long term steady careful growth', according to David Billingham, who has just been promoted from national sales manager of Sovereign Fleet Services to Sovereign Group's risk manager.

The company is now recruiting a replacement for Billingham, and Gary Benfield, previously operations manager, will head Sovereign Fleet Services. The company specialises in supplying vehicles to businesses operating 25-100 vehicles and particularly in supplying marques such as BMW, Audi and Honda to user-choosers.