Speed reduction
Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Services (BBIS) is fitting all its new 3.5tonne vans and pick-ups with speed limiters so they will not be able to travel at more than 68 miles an hour.
The measure, though not required by law, has been adopted to boost safety, lessen the vehicles' impact on the environment by reducing carbon emissions and save fuel costs.
By law, all new vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes must have the speed limiters fitted. But now, on the advice of Balfour Beatty Fleet Services, BBIS is joining Balfour Beatty Utilities and Balfour Beatty Power Networks in going a step further and extending the rule to lighter vans and pick-ups.
The decision affects just under 400 vehicles in the company's fleet, of which about 40 are vans. BBIS purchases on average 80 new 3.5 tonne vehicles a year.
Plant and Transport Manager Garry Merrills said: "We have introduced this measure for sound reasons, and feel that the time is right for us to do this."