ABM_1 - Flipbook - Page 66
OPINION
FLEET
New hope,
new risks: The
grey fleet and
UK businesses
→ Amanda Webb is CEO of FixMyCar
T
he grey fleet has become
essential to UK business.
Research from Europcar
Mobility Group UK has found
that four out of five businesses
currently rely on the ‘grey fleet’
– when personal vehicles are
used for business purposes
– and there are an estimated 14 million
grey fleet vehicles on UK roads today.
That means a third of the vehicles in the
UK are part of the grey fleet, according
to the RAC Foundation.
These figures may be high, but they
shouldn’t be surprising. Grey fleet
vehicles are a key way employers
can keep costs down at a time when
minimising expenditure has never been
more important. With nearly 50,000
businesses in the UK in ‘critical’ financial
distress, and more than half a million in
‘significant’ distress, any way employers
can save money is crucial.
Switching company cars for the grey
fleet can help reduce costs. But it also
brings in new risks.
Employers are legally responsible for
employees who drive personal vehicles
for work, and so they’re liable for their
grey fleet. This means proper fleet
management is imperative, and they
must be proactive in managing fleet risk.
Employer responsibility
While an employer is legally responsible
for their grey fleet, many appear
unaware of this. Research from the
Government-backed Driving for
Better Business found that one in two
company directors didn’t know they are
responsible for employees using their
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AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS Q4 2025
personal car for work. The behaviour
we’ve seen corroborates this. Training
and compliance expert TTC found that
almost half (49%) of employees who use
their own vehicle for business-related
journeys say they don’t recall having
had their driving licence checked by
their employer, and just under a third
haven’t been asked to show a valid
MOT certificate.
Nevertheless, it’s a legal requirement
for any grey fleet vehicle to be verified
roadworthy and legal by the driver’s
employer. Employers’ lack of awareness
around their legal responsibilities is
making them neglect vital checks, and
this increases risk on the roads.
Unfortunately, work-related road
accidents are more common than you
think. Tragically, one in three road deaths
and one in five serious injuries involve
