GAS pipeline company Transco is embarking on one of the UK's biggest yet defensive driver training initiatives, covering 11,000 company drivers. The huge contract will be shared between three training companies, RoSPA Driver Services and IAM Fleet Training in the north, and Independent Safety Services in the south.

Transco is investing £750,000 in the initiative over the next three years and expects the training to become self-funding by reducing accident frequency and cost. The company has a strong safety culture throughout its operation, and the driver training is designed to extend the safety message on to the roads.

Last year Transco suffered 3,100 commercial vehicle accidents and 1,500 car accidents at an average cost of £450 each, but with a greater impact on vehicle downtime and lost employee time.

The company's 7,500 commercial vehicle drivers and 3,500 company car drivers will be first in line for the training, and Babbage hopes to extend the policy to all Transco employees who drive more than 1,000 miles per year on business in their own cars. RoSPA and IAM have pooled their resources to land the deal in a one-off arrangement which could become a more common occurrence if other large utility fleets adopt driver training programmes.