FLEETS are unprepared for Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown's Budget on Tuesday, revealing 'widespread ignorance' of issues which will affect them, one of the largest surveys yet of fleet industry chiefs has revealed. Initial findings in 'Fleets, Fuels and Taxes', an AA survey of 1,439 fleets, revealed that 49% were unaware of proposals to introduce carbon dioxide-based Vehicle Excise Duty this year.

Many admitted ignorance of the proposed company car tax system from 2002. Of those who were aware of the VED proposals, some thought the system had already been introduced, while others gave dates ranging up to 2005. Only 3% said they had changed their fleet purchasing policy in anticipation of the new system. Areas where fleet bosses felt they lacked knowledge included availability of alternative fuels, new emission regulations, variable VED, low emission zones and future engine emission regulations.

Fleets admitted they were not as well informed as they could be about the new CO2-based company car tax system which is also due to be announced by Brown on Tuesday, running costs and the environmental effects of fuels. AA Business Services general manager Ray Combs said: 'It is clear there is widespread ignorance of the proposals and their possible impact on fleets. There is a clear need for sensible, unbiased information to allow fleet managers to make important decisions.'