Interserve Facilities Management, one of Citroën UK’s largest commercial vehicle customers with some 900 vehicles, has just placed its first order for 20 Berlingo Dual Fuel vans as part of a push to improve its environmental performance, whilst simultaneously reducing operational costs.

The Nicholson McLaren Engines (NME) converted Berlingo 600 LX 1.4i Dual Fuel (petrol/LPG) vans offer major emissions reductions* of 180 per cent in nitrogen oxide (NOX) and 50 per cent in carbon monoxide (CO), as well as a 24 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide (CO₂). 

In addition to its Berlingo Dual Fuel vans, Interserve is taking delivery of 22 other Citroëns, including two C2 Enterprise vans, five Berlingo Enterprise 1.6HDi vans, 10 new Dispatch L1H1 vans and five new Relay vans/chassis cabs.  All 42 vans in this order are being supplied by Citroën City, Whitechapel, and are being operated on up to four year, 50,000 mile, non-maintenance Arval UK Ltd contract hire agreements, with servicing supplied by local Citroën dealers.  

The Berlingo Dual Fuel vans have been specified as part of Interserve’s ISO 14001 registered Environmental Management System - a key part in the process of improving its environmental performance and pursuing a sustainable approach to carrying out its business.  Interserve’s facilities management division is allocating the Berlingo Dual Fuel vans to Metropolitan Police and other contracts it has within the London Congestion Charge Zone. 

David Balderson, Interserve's group transport asset manager, comments, “In the London Congestion Charge Zone, we have about 80 small vans crossing the area on a daily basis.  We are now, by specifying Berlingo Dual Fuel vans for these roles, making a positive move to reduce the emissions caused by our vehicles in this area.  The Berlingo Dual Fuel vans combine the benefits of lower emissions with considerable operational cost reductions in the Congestion Charge Zone.”

Elaine Preston, Interserve’s environmental manager, remarks, “The procurement of Berlingo Dual Fuel vans confirms Interserve’s determination to make a difference by reducing CO₂ and other greenhouse gas emissions.  Thus, by reducing operating costs, we respect the economic principle of sustainable development and by creating a better environment we contribute to the social responsibility aspect of sustainable development.”

The NME converted Berlingo Dual Fuel van - which has just been included in the Citroën Ready to Run programme, priced from just £7,495 + VAT + delivery - is exempt from the London Congestion Charge as it meets Powershift Band 4 emissions standards.  This gives Congestion Charge zone based operators of Berlingo dual fuel vans a significant cost reduction of £1,696 p.a. as well as providing fuel cost savings.

The NME Berlingo Dual Fuel conversion includes a state-of-the-art sequential, common rail, gas injection system – which has been specifically developed by NME for Berlingo Euro IV 1.4i 75hp engines.  Common rail gas injection allows the LPG to be injected at high pressure into the engine’s inlet manifold, as close to the valves as possible.  The NME conversion also features a sophisticated master/slave synchronisation strategy of the fuel system’s ECU and the engine’s own electronic management system.  This allows the dual fuel system to directly and accurately mimic the engine’s main ECU fuelling requirements to ensure optimum performance and economy. 

Robert Handyside, Citroën’s commercial vehicle operations manager, comments, “Citroën is delighted that, with the supply of Berlingo Dual Fuel vans, it can play a positive role as part of Interserve’s Environmental Management System.”

With the addition of this latest batch of new Citroën commercial vehicles, Interserve Facilities Management’s vehicle fleet now includes some 900 Citroëns, making up well over 80 per cent of its 1,000+ vehicle fleet.  Throughout the UK, Interserve has Citroën vehicles operating in both the private and public sectors.

Interserve Facilities Management is part of Interserve Plc (www.interserve.com), the services, maintenance and building group. Interserve Plc creates buildings and other structures for clients in the public and private sectors, maintains many different types of buildings, the operational systems that support them and a range of plant and equipment in specialist fields, and co-ordinates a host of background services to help its clients. Interserve is based in the UK and is a FTSE 250 company. It employs 26,000 people worldwide and has revenue of £1.5 billion.

* figures shown are in comparison to those returned by a Berlingo 1.4i petrol van