The new vans are based at the company’s depot in East Kilbride, from where they are now working on road maintenance projects across Scotland.
The chassis were supplied by the fleet department at the Glasgow branch of Central Belt Dealer Western Commercial. They have dropside bodies by Dean Plant Hire, of Bathgate, to Lagan Operations & Maintenance’s own design – the specification includes steps to access the rear of the platform, and systems to protect staff who are working at height. Each vehicle also has cameras to both sides, and the rear, with full colour screens on the dashboards.
Services offered by Lagan Operations & Maintenance include traffic management, safety barrier work, slip forming and surfacing.
Area manager George Miller, who is responsible for the new fleet, said: “Although this operation only began around 18 months ago, my own experience of traffic management work goes back over 15 years. In that time I’ve seen vehicles from all the major manufacturers and it’s clear to me that Mercedes-Benz vans are head and shoulders above the competition. They are the most reliable by a margin, which means they spend a lot less time off the road undergoing repairs.
“They’re also competitively priced, while the fact that they so rarely break down means maintenance is relatively inexpensive too. This contributes to an unbeatable total cost of ownership. These vehicles are out in all weathers with the lights and beacons on, often for 12 hours at a time, so safety and comfort for our hard-working operatives are also key considerations,” he added.