DAILY rental management company Countrywide has separated and re-branded its mid-term vehicle hire business in order to expand it as a stand- alone area.

Called Stopgap, the new division aims to provide cars for fleet drivers waiting for delivery of ordered company cars. The firm claims it has reduced rates for vehicles hired for more than 28 days compared to daily rental prices over the same period.

After 28 days, the car can be kept on hire at the same rate with no long-term contract, or be collected free of charge. Group marketing manager Jared Sneath said: 'The reason it has been so successful is because we pass on these savings to our customers by utilising vehicles owned and operated by the Leasedrive Group.

'Businesses that are currently hiring vehicles for more than 28 days could be making a huge saving whether the requirement is for new starters, temporary sales teams of even as an incentive. Many of our new customers do not hire daily rental vehicles but do have contract hire fleets.'