TfL has revealed that consultancy group Aecom is to run Fors on a five-year concession-style contract that will see the best practice scheme taken national.

In an announcement today, TfL confirmed Aecom would run the accreditation scheme on a five-year basis as a concessionaire.

There is an option to extend the deal by two years through to 2022.

The deal will see Aecom, which previously delivered the Freight Best Practice scheme for DfT, working in partnership with the CILT and Fleet Source.

TfL has said it will retain an “integral role” with a place on a governance board of industry representatives that will oversee the direction of Fors.

More than 210,000 vehicles from 2,400 companies are now accredited to Fors. Although originally a London scheme, two thirds of accredited operators are based outside the M25. For example, Cemex was awared national gold status under Fors last year.

Construction firms Mace and Laing O’Rourke, as well as Thames Water and Cambridge University, all demand at least Fors bronze status from contractors if they are to tender for work with them.

Leon Daniels, MD of Surface Transport at TfL, said: “This concession is good news for the future of road safety and the wider impacts of freight and fleet operations not just in London, but across the country.

“Fors’ success will be enhanced and Aecom will help this award-winning scheme expand nationwide to the benefit of all operators and road users.”

Richard Robinson, chief executive, civil and infrastructure, Europe, Middle East and Africa, at Aecom, said: “Today’s contract award builds on our ongoing work in construction logistics and cycle safety, cementing Aecom’s strategy in the UK to design, build, finance and operate major schemes for our clients.”

TfL revealed in April 2014 that it was to deliver Fors into private hands in a bid to roll out the scheme nationally. Fors was launched in 2008 in a bid to improve road safety and mitigate the environmental and traffic impact of freight and fleet operations.

In November the FTA criticised what it regarded as abrupt changes to the Fors scheme relating to the standards to be met at each level (Gold, Silver, Bronze etc).

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