Renault has taken the first step towards establishing a 50-strong national network of dedicated light commercial vehicle service centres.

Pilot schemes are running at standalone sites in Bristol, Bury and Ashford and up to 20 Renault Van Service Centres will be operational by the start of 2004.

The French brand has sold almost 15,600 LCVs in Britain to date this year, and says that while each of the centres will operate off-site from main dealerships, they will be located where there are complementary Business Centres – the specialist network established to handle fleet car and van sales in principal cities.

“Our van sales have been growing year-on-year for the last four to five years,” says Renault UK network service coverage manager Martin Eccles. “The Business Centres have played a significant part, and this is something we want to sustain through improved customer service and facilities. Dedicated van service centres go hand-in-hand with the Business Centre strategy.”

The full LCV network of 50 centres is expected to be complete by 2006. Each will have a courtesy van fleet, an LCV workshop with Class VII MoT facilities, specialist technical staff, as well as flexible and longer weekday and weekend opening hours.

The move will also open up extra retail service capacity in existing workshops. “The main dealer network was getting a little stretched in places,” says Eccles. “With Van Service Centres in strategic locations across the country, booking times should be reduced for both business and private customers.”

The first three Renault Van Centres are at City Motors in Bristol, Bury Motors in Bury and at Driveline in Ashford, Kent.