OPERATING costs, driver safety and the growth of congestion charges are some of the key issues drivers will be facing this year, according to Vincent St Claire, managing director at Arval PHH's fleet division.

Fleet operators need to ensure drivers are fully briefed on changes that might affect their roles, as soon as any legislation is announced. He said: 'We need to ensure that these issues are communicated to our staff.'

One of the key issues which needs to be tackled is the 'cloning' of numberplates by thieves to avoid paying congestion charges, he said.

Once numberplates have been taken and false ones made, drivers can enter the congestion charging zone knowing that the bill will be allocated to another car, which could lead to a fine for non-payment.

The problem emphasises how important it is for fleet decision-makers to be briefed on driver movements, so they can pinpoint unexpected charges immediately.

  • Fleet News Budget Briefing was sponsored by Arval PHH and AllStar.