The firm says that the market for used, blue light vehicles has been burdened for some years with the practice of selling fully functioning, often branded ambulances, mountain rescue 4x4s and other vehicles to unchecked third parties. In certain instances, this unregulated feed of blue light vehicles has facilitated illegal activities.

Following close co-operation with the emergency services and crime prevention agencies, Manheim has set out tough new standards for the remarketing of blue light vehicles, including not allowing commissioned blue light vehicles to be sold to a member of the general public via Manheim auctions and ensuring that non-account businesses must be pre-approved by Manheim in order to bid and buy a commissioned blue light vehicle.

James Davis, head of commercial vehicle remarketing at Manheim, said: ‘The publication of our new blue light policy sends an important message to the used market, that we are setting new standards in the industry to provide sellers and buyers of emergency vehicles with increased confidence.

‘As a responsible, global business, we have an obligation to our customers, and the wider community, to provide excellent customer service and reduce the opportunity for illegal activities.

‘From a practical point of view, removing lights, sirens and the reflective Battenberg signage from emergency vehicles is prohibitively expensive for the vendor, often wiping out any residual value left in the asset. Our new policy seeks to effectively manage the potential risk whilst maximising the values paid by professional trade buyers and blue light operators alike.’

To download a free copy of Blue Light Vehicles: Industry Best Practice, please register at www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/go/bp