GOVERNMENT 'green' fleet scheme Motorvate has launched a bid to make joining simpler after it emerged it has just 15 members. In the autumn, Motorvate leaders insisted the first year target of 30 members was within reach. But the real figures are a far cry from the 150 members Motorvate expected when it launched in June.

The initiative aims to cut fleets' carbon dioxide emissions by 12% over three years, 3% of which must be achieved through mileage cuts. It costs between £500 and £1,000 to join the scheme depending on fleet size and Motorvate claims a 200-vehicle fleet could save £34,000 a year by meeting targets. But there is concern fleets are put off from joining because of the large amount of information required to fill in the assessment forms, which sees fleets asked to supply fuel consumption and total mileage figures. The figures must then be broken down into specific vehicle types.

This week Motorvate revealed it was working on a new simplified application form to drum up membership, as a result of concerns that the current six-page document is too complicated. Simon Collings, Motorvate's scheme manager, said its minimum target of 75 members in three years was still in reach. But he admitted membership uptake had been slow. 'We are progressing well and growing steadily,' he said. 'We have had 10,000 hits on our website and 400 applications.

Motorvate members to date are: UKEA Police, Nexus, London Borough of Hillingdon, Whitbread, Guildford Borough Council, National Insurance Contributions Office, Unilever Research, Lex Vehicle Leasing, RAC Motoring Services, Cornwall Healthcare NHS Trust, East Cheshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Denso Sales, Yorkshire Building Society, Department of Social Security, Humberside Police