DriveTech (UK) wins £5M Bank of Scotland award

7th December 2007

Chris Howell, chairman and founder of DriveTech (UK) plc receiving the Bank of Scotland Corporate regional award.

The Crowthorne-based company will now receive up to £5m, interest-free funding to help speed up the delivery of its new franchised driver training programme for learner drivers, which will be launched early next year.

As one of five regional winners in the Challenge, which provides support for driven, well-established businesses that aim to continue growing and become dominant forces in their markets, DriveTech is in line to be named Bank of Scotland Corporate’s ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ on Wednesday, December 12.

The overall winner will receive four days mentoring from top entrepreneur Sir Philip Green for their business and valuable media coverage from the Sunday Times. Billionaire businessman Sir Philip owns some of the UK’s largest High Street retailers including Bhs and the Arcadia Group.

Chris Howell, chairman and founder of DriveTech (UK), said: “This award is a true milestone in the history of our business and has given the company a rock solid financial footing to grow its three core areas - corporate fleet, police diversionary education and now, learner drivers.”

Road crashes are the biggest killer of 15-24 year-olds in the UK. While one in eight car licence holders is aged under 25, one in three drivers who die on the UK’s roads is under 25.

Mr Howell, whose entrepreneurial spirit was recognised with the award, said: “Learner drivers are the most ‘at risk’ sector of the driving population. Government statistics also show that 27% of 17-19 year-old males are involved in a road collision in their first year of driving. We want to use our experience gained in training corporate fleet drivers and also educating members of the public who break the law while driving and attend our police-backed educational courses to make a difference to these figures.

“This new funding will be used to speed up the delivery of our new franchised driver training programme. This high quality programme is aimed at the learner driver community by offering both pre and post driving test training for new drivers who are, statistically, at most risk on the roads. Pivotally, this service will be promoted as a ‘complete driving programme’ rather than the traditional hourly charged lesson to get drivers through their test.”

In addition, the funding will support further mergers and acquisitions, complementing the recent merger with leading competitor, Driving Services, as well as new initiatives into the corporate fleet and police education marketplace.

Mr Howell concluded: “This award is truly the icing on the cake as, in November, DriveTech was also the runners-up in the Thames Valley ‘Business of the Year’ award and picked up the title of UK Driver Training Solutions Specialist’ 2007-8 from the Institute of Transport Management. I’m delighted that we’re being recognised for our contribution to improving road safety in the UK.”

Further details of DriveTech’s new young driver programme will be announced early in 2008.

Editor's Notes

DriveTech (UK) plc is one of the UK’s leading providers of road risk management and driver assessment & education. We work both with organisations whose employees ‘drive for work’ and with members of the public who are offered education, as an alternative to prosecution, by the police.

DriveTech’s vision is ‘working together to eliminate road death and serious injuries’ by providing the most effective and innovative solutions, using education and technology, to minimise risk for all road users.

DriveTech (UK) has won the Institute of Transport Management’s (ITM) ‘Fleet Award for Driver Training’ in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 and the ‘European Driver Safety Specialist’ award in 2005. In September 2007, it was named the ITM’s ‘UK Driver Training Solutions Specialist’ for making ‘the most significant impact upon the Driver Training and Safety sector over the past decade’

For further information, please contact David Richards at DriveTech (UK) at david.richards@drivetech.co.uk or 01344 467271.