NATIONAL Grid has highlighted the benefits of offering staff the opportunity to buy end-of-contract cars before they are offered to the trade.

For the past 12 months the company has provided employees with the chance to snap up defleeted cars in advance of them being released to the trade in a scheme run by Corby-based Cars Direct.

Cars Direct claims the value of such a service has been recognised by other fleet managers and that engineering, construction and services group Balfour Beatty has adopted it.

National Grid fleet operations manager David Morse, said: 'As well as providing another disposal route, we are able to offer our employees quality ex-company cars at trade prices rather than retail, a powerful internal incentive, which has gone down well with our staff.

'Importantly, cars are made available for auction with a bid price guide that is usually 100% of CAP Clean, which is the price we would expect to receive for them through any other remarketing route.'

Morse says the scheme saves the company time and money as the Cars Direct website manages the whole process. The service offers a wide range of ex-company owned vehicles, typically up to 10 vehicles at a time, all with full service records.

National Grid employees can view the cars via the website, which features photographs and detailed reports, and participate in an online auction.

Cars Direct managing director, Roger Woodward, said: 'As the pioneer of online vehicle auctions in the UK, Cars Direct prides itself on offering its customers new and innovative added value services that maximise potential opportunities via the vehicle remarketing process.'