LEISURE company Whitbread has reduced the list of manufacturers on its 2,900-vehicle fleet from 23 to five and is now offering employees a cash-for-car option following a 12-month review of its policy which is expected to result in savings of £1 million a year.

The end of the 'anything goes' policy sees Peugeot, Ford, Vauxhall, Toyota and Volkswagen as the chosen suppliers and the cash option introduced following employee requests.

Nigel Trotman, Whitbread's central services manager, said: 'Maintaining relationships with 23 manufacturers was never simple and since 80% of our drivers were choosing vehicles from these five manufacturers it seemed an obvious decision to make, although it was only taken after a 12-month review and consultation process.'

Whitbread leases all its vehicles from GE Capital Fleet Services.

All but 500 essential car users have from May been given the choice of taking a cash option, which 8% of those entitled have taken.