Most businesses spend far more than they need to on fuel and transport, and as fuel prices continue to rise the pressure to make improvements is growing all the time.

By addressing fuel use in your business you can significantly reduce your fuel bills, cut your carbon emissions, reduce wear and tear to your vehicles, and improve driver safety at the same time. Depending on the size and location of your fleet, fuel efficiency measures could save you as much as £1,000 per vehicle.

Additional information about smarter driving can be found on the Energy Saving Trust website.

Here are some simple changes you can make to the way you manage fuel and transport in your business, to help improve fuel efficiency and cut costs:

• Ensure that tyre pressures are maintained at the correct level to maximise fuel efficiency.
• Minimise mileage by combining loads and finding the shortest routes.
• Avoid carrying unnecessary weight as heavy loads put more strain on a vehicle.
• Keep your speed down to save fuel and check your vehicle manufacturer's guide to find the most fuel-efficient speeds for town and motorway driving.
• Drive smoothly, by avoiding sudden braking or accelerating, and reduce your speed to save fuel.
• Keep air conditioning to a minimum as it increases fuel consumption.
• Close windows and sun-roofs to reduce drag, which reduces your fuel efficiency.
• Challenge your staff to drive more efficiently by creating a miles per gallon 'leaderboard' to monitor progress.
• Consider homeworking or video-conferencing to reduce the need for business travel.
• Encourage the use of public transport or car sharing by staff, to minimise your carbon emissions from travel.