INDUSTRY experts have issued fleets with a series of fuel saving tips as petrol prices continue to creep towards the £1 a litre mark.

Introducing measures such as management reports, driving advice and vehicle choice reviews should be considered by fleets wishing to economise on fuel costs, according to one industry pundit.

Stewart Whyte, director of fleet consultancy Fleet Audits, said: 'In the current climate of escalating crude oil prices, there are numerous fleet management techniques that fleets of all sizes can employ to keep their costs under control.

'A failure to act will send fleet budgets spiralling out of control if the promised fuel price hikes become a reality.'

For every 5p per litre increase in fuel charges, fuel costs for an average company car driver will increase by £12 a month. For a fleet of 100 this would be £1,200 extra every month adding up to £14,400 over the year, according to fuel card provider Arval PHH.

Mike Waters, head of market analysis at Arval PHH, said: 'Any price rise is bad for businesses as it is a direct cost increase and affects their profitability.

Any business with fuel expenditure should be working to target lower priced sites, reduce their mpg and use fuel cards to reduce the administration costs of buying fuel.'

The RAC is also encouraging drivers to shop around for the best fuel price. A spokeswoman said: 'If you are a company car driver, you can still save you or your company a considerable amount of money by driving with fuel economy in mind.

A light touch on the throttle, slowing down gradually towards lights, not revving up the engine away from the lights and a smooth driving style could see a reduction in fuel bills by up to 30%.'

Last weekend, more than 150 drivers took to the streets in Cardiff to protest against proposed fuel duty rises.

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