An enterprising man from Bacup has opened the doors of East Lancashire’s first ‘eco-driving school’ this summer. The aim of the school is to reduce the cost of fuel for local businesses by educating their staff to be ‘eco-drivers’, a concept that has recently taken the UK by storm.
Paul Halton, a qualified driving instructor, fleet driving trainer and assessor, saw the need for a way to lessen the impact on local companies of rising fuel prices. The initiative, offered initially to van drivers, fleet managers and company carpool drivers, could help businesses save thousands of pounds every year.
The course focuses on ‘forward planning’ at junctions, obstructions and traffic, as well as the use of correct gears, which has the potential to improve fuel efficiency by up to 20%, as well as making the drivers safer road users.
Mr Halton, who is also an ambassador for the road safety charity BRAKE, believes his eco-driving course could even help to deal with other common driving issues such as driver fatigue, standard wear and tear on cars, and may reduce insurance premiums for fleet drivers.
Sadly the course, run by the Paul Halton School of Driving, has yet to reach the common man or woman, who must continue (for the time being) paying top dollar for fuel. It is likely, however, given the popularity with which companies have seized on Mr Halton’s initiative, that non-commercial courses will follow. You can search for your local driving instructors by using our driving instructors search facility which will list instructors close to your location.
