ROYAL Mail has awarded a £75 million supply deal for new vans to Ford in a five-year agreement.

The manufacturer will supply 1,500 short wheelbase low roof 2.0-litre turbodiesel Transits annually for five years to Royal Mail. Ford won the business from LDV, which had previously supplied Royal Mail.

The announcement of the supply deal comes soon after Royal Mail announced LeasePlan had won a major contract to supply and maintain its 5,000-strong company car fleet.

However, it said at the time that this new deal would not affect its fleet of red delivery trucks and vans, the management of which remains in-house.

The three-year deal with LeasePlan, for an undisclosed sum, was part of an initiative to reduce costs and return to profitability, the Royal Mail said. Ford of Britain commercial director Steve Parker said: 'Continuing a successful partnership going back some 15 years, we are very pleased to be supplying Royal Mail for the first time in a deal that emphasise the Ford Transit's strong heritage in Britain, having been the best-selling medium commercial vehicle for 37 years.

'We are sure that Royal Mail will find the durability and functionality of the Ford Transit a major asset.'

A Royal Mail spokesman said: 'We are delighted to link up with Ford in a partnership that will see significant savings for our business and maintain the quality of our fleet of vehicles.'

In November, Royal Mail agreed a new supply deal with Vauxhall in a van contract worth £190 million over the next five years. The deal means that Vauxhall will supply up to 20,000 Combo vans to the postal service.

It won the contract after the tendering process took place at an online auction involving five manufacturers and a number of contract hire companies.

All 20,000 vans will be powered by the 1.7-litre 16v diesel engine, and will take over the job of carrying post from the present fleet of Ford Escort vans and Peugeot Partners.