CORNWALL Healthcare NHS Trust is hoping to convert all 140 of its pool car vehicles to liquefied petroleum gas over the next three years. The Trust has taken delivery of six LPG Vauxhall Astras and six Corsas which will be used by psychiatric community nurses.

The Astras have manufacturer-fitted conversions, but the Corsas were converted by LPG Autocentre, Poole. Jane Perriss, transport and communications manager, has been in negotiation with Nissan over the last 18 months in a bid to get LPG Micra pool cars for the Trust's nurses, but with little success.

Perriss, who was a Fleet News Environmental Award finalist this year, said: 'We have identified a need for the manufacturers to convert more smaller cars to LPG as most seem to start at Astra-sized vehicles which are too big for our nurses. We are still working with Nissan on getting LPG vehicles but our leasing company, British Car Contracts, was able to supply the Vauxhalls in the meantime.'

She is working with Cornwall County Council, which services some of the Trust's 703 vehicles, and commercial garages to have LPG refuelling facilities installed at its sites. The 12 Vauxhalls will be refuelled at a local garage which has an LPG refuelling station.