An independent report, commissioned by the Department for Transport this year, will conclude that the Freight Best Practice scheme is making good headway.
The survey, the results of which are due to be published soon, will say that 48 per cent of the 1,558 users contacted have found the scheme helpful and have collectively made a financial saving of £190 million. This compares to a £60m saving in 2003.
On average, operators saved £41,000, compared to the £12,000 by firms taking their own approach to fuel saving. "This is very encouraging," said John Hix, programme manager at Faber Maunsell, the firm running the scheme for the DfT. "The report also shows double the number of people aware of the scheme."