Citroen LCVs hit the ground running at Fitness First
As part of a complete fleet replacement and expansion programme, Fitness First - the world’s largest health and fitness group - has taken delivery of six new Citroen LCVs. The Poole-headquartered company’s current LCV order consists of one Dispatch dual fuel (petrol/lpg) van, one Berlingo dual fuel van and four Berlingo 1.6HDi 90hp X vans. These vehicles will be followed by further Berlingo and Dispatch orders as Fitness First replaces its existing 30-strong CitroenLCV fleet and increases its fleet size by 20% to 36 vans.
In renewing and expanding its fleet with Citroen LCVs, Fitness First, an environmentally conscious company, required its long-standing contract hire company, Fleethire, to examine a wide range of vans to identify optimum fitness for purpose - focusing on low emissions, lowest whole life costs, maximum driver comfort and high levels of safety. Citroen met these demanding requirements with fuel efficient, low mission diesel powered Berlingo vans and London Congestion Charge exempt Dispatch and Berlingo dual fuel vans.
Glyn Allen, Fitness First’s head of contracts, explains; “As a Carbon Trust Standard award-winning company, Fitness First is actively engaged in reducing both its energy consumption and its carbon emissions. In specifying our new van fleet, we have continued our strategic relationship with long-term suppliers Citroen and Fleethire to ensure we have a van fleet that provides optimal environmental, operational and financial performance.”
The new Citroen LCVs will be used by Fitness First’s maintenance technicians, who are based throughout the UK. As such, the Berlingo and Dispatch vans have been custom-racked and equipped by Fleethire to carry the necessary tools and equipment required to maintain swimming pools, buildings, running machines and other gym equipment at Fitness First’s 160 UK fitness clubs.
With 59 of these fitness clubs in Greater London, the company’s latest LCV order includes Dispatch and Berlingo dual fuel vans, which are London Congestion Charge exempt and thus deliver major cost savings in this respect for its London-based maintenance technicians.
Supplied by Citroen dealer WR Davis in Stafford, Fitness First’s new Citroen LCVs are being acquired and operated on 48-month/80,000mile Fleethire with-maintenance contract hire agreements.
Fitness First is the first company of its kind in the UK to be awarded the Carbon Trust Standard. This recognises the group’s efforts in reducing its carbon emissions over the last three years by more than 7% throughout the business.
Worldwide, Fitness First operates in 17 countries, with 550 fitness clubs.
