The contract hire deal, which includes full maintenance, has been signed following an independent selection process run by independent public service advisory organisation, Capita Asset Services (Capita).

Using the Halton Housing Trust Contract Hire Framework, Capita looked at both cost effectiveness and quality of service as key selection criteria. A key feature of the Framework is that public sector organisations join the purchasing club operated by The Procurement Partnership Ltd, enabling LFB to access improved manufacturer discounts.

The LFB is one of the world’s largest fire fighting and rescue organisations and runs a car fleet of approximately 200 vehicles. All new cars joining the fleet are fully prepped and fitted with approved blue light and siren systems. Alphabet is also providing fire officers with an extensive choice of cars, all of which are under the 120g/km CO2 band, thus supporting the LFB’s strong environmental commitment.

Clive Buhagiar, head of public sector at Alphabet, said: ‘We’re absolutely delighted with this contract win, which is testament to the continuing commitment we’ve demonstrated to the public sector over a 20-year period.

‘Our dedicated public sector team works closely with our customers to provide the best possible mix of flexible transport solutions, from corporate car sharing to fleets; short-term rental to salary sacrifice. The growth of the public sector fleet over a sustained period is testament to the commitment and expertise of the Alphabet team.’