HSBC is to close its vehicle finance division, ending a four year deal with Lex Autolease.
The move sees 33 staff made redundant and a further 14 hired by Lex’s parent company Bank of Scotland Corporation.
A spokesman for HSBC told Business Car: “The current referral agreement was not meeting the expectations of either Lloyds or HSBC, [...]

The overwhelming majority of Britain’s officially recognised safest fleets want the Government to introduce a nationally-recognised post-test driving for work qualification for young drivers.
Road crashes are the single biggest killer of young people in the UK with almost 1,200 killed or seriously injured on the roads every year. Young drivers, especially those under 20, are [...]

Last year proved a challenging one for the car industry, with new car registrations contracting 6.9 per cent through 2009 compared with the pervious year.
But as private car sales were propped up by the introduction of the scrappage scheme, many in the industry are expecting a rockier ride through 2010 when the scheme is set [...]

Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz are advertising their fleet offerings on industry website, FleetDirectory.co.uk.
Volkswagen is promoting its Golf Bluemotion model, an extremely popular car leasing model, thanks to its impressive 74.3miles to the gallon fuel efficiency. As a fleet vehicle, its low C02 emissions of just 99g/km, mean that it qualifies for £0 VED and reduced levels [...]

Motorists are being warned to brace themselves for a possible 10 pence per litre hike in fuel prices by the end of the year.
In a report from the Petrol Retailer’s Association (PRA) it is predicted that the cost of fuel could rise 5 pence per litre by the end of the first quarter alone in [...]

Volkswagen Fleet Services has expanded its dedicated Business Centre team to enhance customer service and to ensure it truly offers a one-stop-shop for fleet managers. Whether a corporate customer requires whole-life cost information, specific product details or wish to book a test drive, all they need is to contact the one centre.
From 1 January 2010, [...]

Car leasing customers are being reminded to shop around as the industry heads towards the start of a new year.
Using the appropriate website can help customers find the best deal whether they are business or personal clients.
As interest in new car picks up after the quiet Christmas period, car leasing brokers and dealers will be [...]

SEAT’s increasingly successful Fleet and Business Sales team, led by ex-Audi fleet professional Nick Andrews, is celebrating another important signing with the addition of Kellie Lee to the line-up.
Kellie joins fellow Area Fleet Sales Managers Barbara O’Neill-Joyce, Pippa Benham and Yulia Eaton in reporting to recently-appointed National Sales Manager Sally Livingstone.
The 29-year-old joins the burgeoning [...]

The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) has revised its Code of Conduct for brokers in a bid to increase standards of professionalism and customer service in the sector.
The BVRLA Leasing Broker Committee decided to strengthen the new code for the New Year, with the new code due to come into effect from 1 [...]

Low winter sun and dirty windscreens mean there is more risk of dangerous dazzle to business drivers at this time of year than any other, says IAM Fleet and Drive & Survive.
Simon Elstow, IAM Head of Training, said: “Dirty windscreens make it even more difficult for drivers to see in the low sun we get [...]