By Phil Coleman Chief reporter

Last updated 16:26, Friday, 04 July 2008

Stobart Group chief executive Andrew Tinkler has been summoned to Downing Street to help a Government think-tank come up with ways to cut fuel wastage.

Andrew Tinkler: Inquiry a blow

With fuel prices at record levels, and global warming a looming threat, Gordon Brown’s Government is under increasing pressure to reduce wastage of diesel and petrol.

Now Mr Tinkler has been invited to No 10 to share the secrets of his transport empire, which includes a huge fleet of trucks, an expanding rail haulage operation, and the likelihood of air freight if Carlisle Airport gets permission to develop.

Mr Tinkler’s business empire has grown rapidly in recent years, but like other haulage operations has felt the effects of rising fuel costs.

He believes his “inter-modal” strategy – combining road, rail, water and air transport as appropriate – has helped give Eddie Stobart the edge over competitors by cutting down on fuel wastage.

Mr Tinkler said: “Gordon Brown’s top advisors want to talk to us about cutting down fuel wastage in the industry, and ways of doing the job while taking trucks off the road.

“We’ve got some good ideas about this, and they want to know about them, so we’re due to go to Downing Street on July 8 to meet senior advisors.

“We’re not yet sure whether Gordon Brown will be there. We’ll talk about using other forms of transport and about different types of engineering solutions for pulling trailers.

“They could take seven per cent of the trucks off the road if they allowed us to do one of the things we are suggesting. The only way we’re going to solve the fuel problems is to get fuel consumption down.”

As an example of his company’s thriving transport strategy, Mr Tinkler cited how Stobart Group has successfully combined using the firm’s trucks with freight trains, making a far more efficient use of fuel and cutting costs.

The group now operates a 28-container freight train, and another smaller one, pulling 13 freight containers.

Together, their use cuts the company’s diesel consumption by 3 million litres a year – the equivalent of taking the entire Eddie Stobart fleet off the road for three weeks.

Mr Tinkler added: “We’re talking about a model of transport that is far more efficient, including road, rail and water and if we can save on costs we will be able to pass those savings on to customers. We really think that we could help and lower fuel consumption would help stabilise the prices.”

Despite the country’s deepening economic gloom, and rising prices, Stobart Group continues to grow.

It this week announced a takeover of the bulk of chilled transport firm Innovate Logistics, saving it from administration and rescuing 1,300 jobs. The deal means Stobart Group now employs 5,300 people and has a 1,800 strong truck fleet.

Mr Tinkler, who owns Carlisle Airport, hopes to move his business empire to the Crosby-on-Eden site but communities secretary Hazel Blears has ordered a public inquiry to examine his expansion plans, which last month won approval from Carlisle City Council after weeks of heated debate.