Fuels that will power tomorrow’s company cars and vans and the emissions dilemma facing fleets is the focus of the 2018 ICFM Annual National Members’ Conference.

The Conference, entitled ‘Fuel for the Future, the Emissions Dilemma’, will be held on Tuesday, March 20, at The British Motor Museum, Banbury Road, Gaydon, Warwickshire - the home of the world’s largest collection of historic British cars.

Sponsored by Jaguar Land Rover, experts from across the fleet industry will focus on providing advice and information aimed at helping fleet decision-makers make the right strategic powertrain decisions for their future company car and van operations.

Speakers include:

• Dale Eynon, director, DEFRA Group Fleet Service - Environment Agency
• Stewart Lightbody, head of fleet services, Anglian Water
• Alison Moriarty, fleet risk and compliance manager, Skanska
• Rupert Pontin, director of valuations, Cazana
• Tony Greenidge, business development director, IAM RoadSmart.

The quintet will cover a wide range of topics impacting on fleet fuels and emissions including: vehicle procurement, blended fleet vehicle deployment, residual values, the impact of fuel choice and emissions on occupational road risk and vehicle choice and the driving skills required to take to the road in the new generation of models.

The celebrity guest speaker at the 2018 ICFM Annual National Members’ Conference will be Gavin Hastings, a former captain of Scotland’s rugby union team who was capped 61 times.

The event will also include the presentation of awards to fleet decision-makers that have successfully completed ICFM training courses since the last conference.

ICFM director Peter Eldridge, who has been involved with the organisation since its inception, said: “Fleet decision-makers are facing more changes today than in the past 25 years. The evolution of the sector is becoming ever more rapid and without the skills that ICFM training provides, and the ability to quiz industry experts, fleet chiefs could find themselves making poor decisions that will impact on the operating efficiency and effectiveness of their vehicles and businesses.”

ICFM chairman Paul Hollick said: “In recent years fleets have broadly continued to ‘do what they have always done’ because there has been no ‘big bang’, but that changes in 2018. There will be ‘big bangs’ aplenty in 2018, which will, I believe, be a watershed year in the history of fleet.

“There is no single challenge, but a plethora of major issues that must be tackled by fleet decision-makers to ensure company car and commercial vehicle operations remain cost-effective and operationally efficient.”

The Conference will commence at 9.30am (registration from 8.30am) and finish at 3.45pm. Prior to the Conference, during the lunch break and at the conclusion of the event, IAM RoadSmart will be holding a ‘parking challenge’.

ICFM members, who may also take a guest who has an interest in fleet, can book their free Conference place at www.icfm.com/conference-form-2018/.