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Glasgow Interlink Express benefit from LPG vansSource: Interlink ExpressCutting fuel bills by up to 50-per cent, and helping save the planet in the process - just five years ago liquid petroleum gas (LPG) was being hailed as an important new weapon in the battle against pollution and rising fuel costs. There is a strong message beginning to come through the industry right now that LPG remains a cost-effective and practical alternative. LPG fuel consumption is still around 20-per cent lower than that of petrol and, together with other potential cost savings, can represent a sound business move for forward thinking companies. After all, any company able to demonstrate a responsible attitude to what are growing concerns about global warming and other environmental issues has the opportunity to create another area of distinction in what continues to be a highly competitive market. For companies working with local authorities, NHS services, or other public organisations, for instance, there may eventually be increasingly green or clean requirements. Carrier and delivery firms need to be ready to respond to this - especially as the global warming crisis is more likely to ultimately lead to governments chasing ever-stricter controls. Opting for LPG, is seen as a forward step, an encouraging route for companies in an industry which is directly affected by soaring fuel costs and increasingly sensitive to environmental concerns. One of the first Glasgow carriers to operate an entire LPG fleet is Gouranga (part & parcel) Limited, the local Interlink Express franchise. The company employs 20 staff and operates 15 LPG vehicles , serving around 300 customers, from its two-acre site in Boden Street, delivering across the south-west and north of Glasgow. Since taking over the Interlink franchise four months ago, it has replaced all the vehicles in the delivery fleet with Ford LPG Transit vans sourced on contract hire from Lombard Finance. And the new franchise owner believes so strongly in the benefits of LPG vehicles that some of the staff, equally convinced, now drive LPG cars for personal use. "We decided to change to an LPG fleet because of the environmental benefits, " says Andy Harbison, operations manager for the Glasgow franchise. "We believe there are many like-minded people and discerning customers in the region who are concerned about global warming and pollution, who would appreciate the opportunity to use a local carrier committed to providing cleaner, more environmentally responsible forms of transport." Some reports of problems following conversions, especially when short cuts may have been taken, reinforce the advice that the work should not only be carried out by a competent mechanic who is a fully trained and certified LPGA fitter, but that they are also trained specifically to fit the system being installed on the vehicle. Harbison says Gouranga has avoided any potential difficulties in any case, because their entire fleet is factory-built. These Ford Transit LPG vehicles achieve Band 4 on the PowerShift Register, the cleanest emission levels recognised by the Energy Saving Trust. "So far there has been a really positive reaction from our drivers about the vehicles, " adds Harbison. "Not only do they have the obvious environmental benefits especially with the absence of diesel fumes in urban areas, but they also cut down on noise pollution, and produce lower interior and exterior noise levels, making it quiet for both the public and the driver. We also expect the reaction from customers to be very positive." That's understandable. LPG might not just represent a good investment in a company's future - but also in the future of the planet.
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