British Gas opts for winter tyres

15 November 2010

British Gas will fit winter tyres to more than 200 vans for the first time to maximise driver safety and further improve its emergency call-out ability in adverse weather conditions.

The business champion operates one of the country's largest fleets, and is the UK's biggest energy supplier. It will equip over 120 vans located in the Scottish Highlands with winter tyres all year round, while vehicles in the Peak District will be fitted with winter tyres during the colder months.

Driving for Better Business partner Kwik-Fit Fleet recently launched a special winter tyre programme for the first time, and simultaneously offered corporate customers a ‘hotel’ facility to store their summer tyres when the weather is at its severest.

British Gas will take advantage of this hotel facility for the storage of summer tyres currently fitted to its Peak District vehicles.

Jon York, fleet operations manager at British Gas, said, “We are equipping our vans with winter tyres to make driving in cold weather as safe as possible and to ensure we can fulfil our customer promise and provide the best possible service.’”

Additionally, British Gas has ordered a supply of ‘snow socks’, which are commonly used in Scandinavia and fit over tyres to provide additional traction in harsh weather conditions.

Kwik-Fit Fleet sales director Peter Lambert said, “Since we announced our winter tyre programme we have been inundated with calls from public and private sector fleets wanting to equip vehicles with appropriate tyres that are better suited to cold weather, ice and snow conditions.

“This is particularly true for organisations like British Gas that have vehicles in parts of the country which year after year have their journeys hampered by roads being impassable if vehicles are only equipped with standard tyres.”