ABBEY National has outsourced the management of its 2,500 car fleet to First National Vehicle Contracts, the contract hire division of First National Bank which is part of the Abbey National Group. This is the biggest single deal in the 12-year history of FNVC, previously Elton Vehicle Contracts, which is also celebrating its funded fleet size passing the 10,000-mark prior to the Abbey announcement.

Abbey National's five strong fleet team, led by Neil Whitaker - who will become manager, car ownership scheme, Abbey National Group - will be employed by First National Vehicle Contracts, but will remain at Milton Keynes and continue to manage Abbey National's fleet, ordering vehicles and providing driver liaison.

'I feel very positive about the changes,' said Whitaker. 'It should open up a number of other opportunities within the group.' These include the potential to extend the Whitechapel personal contract purchase scheme beyond Abbey National's fleet into other group subsidiaries. There is also the additional opportunity of rolling out a personal car finance product to all 24,000 Abbey National employees nationwide.