“If you take out cars, you have to reduce work as well. We only achieved half of the possible savings because we have not stopped any of the work we are doing – it’s been put on to other cars.”

Reducing the fleet size might also impact on the deal a company could secure from their leasing provider.

“Another police fleet reduced its fleet size but its vehicle lease costs have increased – it’s just shifted the cost around,” Adkins added.

Any savings achieved by reducing the fleet size will only be realised in the long-term; they won’t be the immediate cuts that Ministers want.

“The saving will only come when you replace the car in a few years’ time,” explained Graham Crow, transport manager at Northamptonshire Police.

The spending review will put greater pressure on the buying groups that public sector bodies must use to procure their vehicles. However, several fleet managers are critical of the process – not least the large number of groups involved.

“In the private sector, the fleet manager just picks up the phone and gets the best price. It’s not so simple in the public sector,” said Mitch Elliott, commercial manager – Fleet Services at Lincolnshire County Council.

Damian James, head of transport provision at Bracknell Forest Borough Council, believes the approach, with its primary focus on price, does not take into account other fleet needs.

“They have to have understanding about what different units require in the public sector – there’s a difference between a procurement manager and a transport manager,” James said.

Phil Clifford, fleet and technical manager at St Edmundsbury Borough Council, added: “Part of the problem is that fleet management is not deemed to be a profession. This needs to change.”