Northgate Vehicle Hire has launched VanHire+, which will add damage allowance to its existing options to help UK businesses meet van fleet needs.

The new product combines Northgate’s services. Adding a damage allowance that can be used at the end of the hire.

Its twelve-month plus plan has been combined to include a telematics package, allowing fleets to minimise risk and avoid wasted time.

On offer to customers are a wide range of vans, a service and maintenance package and replacement vehicles when needed.

Neil McCrossan, sales and marketing director at Northgate Vehicle Hire, said: “As we see the economic importance of vans grow, it is crucial that businesses have access to new products that make the vehicle hire process even more insightful and efficient.

“The introduction of VanHire+ reinforces our commitment to maintaining a strong focus on the hire side of the business, but also growing our product offerings which meet our customers’ needs”.

In addition, Northgate offers its customers the option to add fuel cards, which offer up to 5p per litre off fuel at thousands of UK fuel stations.

Fleet insurance cover is also available, if needed.

VanHire+ is also available alongside Northgate’s We Buy You Rent service, which offers an option to sell your vehicle and rent a new one.

Earlier this year, Northgate's research showed that UK businesses are losing £2.4 billion per year due to vans that are not in use.

Operators estimated that each of their vans spend on average four days a year in the garage.

The cost to a business in terms of lost work for each day a commercial van is off the road is £800, meaning an average £3,200 of lost revenue per year.

With 763,000 private sector vans on the road, Northgate estimates that’s a loss of £2.4bn per year to UK PLC.