Northgate Vehicle Hire Acquires Traffic Management Vehicle Supplier

The flexible rental van specialist, Northgate Vehicle Hire, has purchased the Blakedale business, which supplies specialist traffic management and support vehicles.

Blakedale - a family-owned business based in Chorley, Lancashire - has grown over the last 30 years to become the largest private supplier in the sector with 334 traffic management vehicles ranging from 3.5 to 18 tons. These vehicles are supplied to highway contractors on both short- and long-term rental and contract hire across a range of motorway and urban locations.

Northgate Vehicle Hire said the acquisition of Blakedale will allow it to grow its share of the traffic management sector at a time when the Government has pledged strategic long-term investment in UK roads.

It will operate as a standalone operation from its 20,000-square-foot premises with Northgate’s Jon Taylor joining current joint managing director Carmen Bowley as the second joint-MD.

Martin Ward, CEO of Redde Northgate plc, owners of Northgate, said: “We are extremely excited that Blakedale will become part of our wider group. It’s a great business with both rental and specialist vehicle build capability that will provide a wider range of essential services to our blue-chip clients. It’s a perfect fit with our Northgate Vehicle Hire business which already operates in the traffic management sector.”