COMMUNICATIONS and media group Telewest has ended a supply agreement with five suppliers in a consolidation of fleet services – freeing up its internal fleet team to work on strategic issues.

The firm has put Inchcape Fleet Solutions in charge of managing its 3,350 car and van fleet after the supplier argued the benefits of using a consolidated package.

The three-year agreement will see Inchcape managing the fleet contract with a web-based service which will handle driver enquiries and provide management information.

Telewest pointed to the availability of online management reports as a key benefit of the contract, as they provide updates on a daily basis.

The company’s internal fleet team now concentrates on strategic issues in relation to the running of the fleet going forward. The data provided by Inchcape will allow the internal team to identify various factors that may be affecting the efficient running of the fleet.

Jason Peckmore, director of property and facilities management for Telewest, said: ‘A key requirement for us was the ability to deliver visible cost savings on our everyday fleet management.’