The surge of the white van man

While this stereotype is a gross exaggeration -- nothing more than a 1990s invention of the press -- motorists cannot fail to notice (and CILT members will know all too well) that the sheer number of vans they are sharing the road with has soared. There are now at least 3.7 million vans in the UK, including panel vans and Lutons, dropsides and flatbeds. The miles being driven by vans are up sharply, too, by as much as 70% in 20 years, a rise far greater than that for the distance being traveled by private cars. The RAC Foundation commissioned Professor Alan Braithwaite -- 2016 winner of the CILT Robert Lawrence Award for Lifetime contribution to the profession -- to find out.