Ford's Transit deployed as Protected Personnel Carrier to UK Police Forces

BlueLight Commercial are delighted to announce that Ford’s new 5.0-tonne Transit has been deployed as a Protected Personnel Carrier (PPC) with police forces across the country, having won the BlueLight Commercial national tender to supply 400 vehicles over the next four years. Approximately 80 vehicles are expected to be order before the end of this financial year.

BlueLight Commercial developed the national framework and standard specification, worth £30m over four years, in collaboration with technical representatives from NAPFM.

The Framework is open to the 43 forces of England and Wales, Police Scotland and the police forces of British Overseas Territories, British Sovereign Base Areas and British Crown Dependencies, with each force entering into an individual call off contract dependant on their local requirements. 

Jo Osborne, Regional Commercial Director from BlueLight Commercial said “We are pleased to be working with Ford and that we are able to supply forces with turnkey fully converted PPCs”

Protected Personnel Carriers (PPC) Vehicles also known as Police Support Unit (PSU) are a critical frontline vehicle used to assist in the event of civil disobedience and a multitude of other general requirements and tactics. Capable of carrying up to 10 officers and equipment, they can help in proactive and offensive incident response, protect officers on board, allow safe deployment of officers and extraction of casualties, as well as being able to act in prisoner transportation.

“Our business at Ford is to make our customers’ businesses thrive – in this case, the business is keeping our emergency services safe in the most hostile environments, and our new 5.0-tonne Transit is the perfect tool for the job,” said Terry Adams, Ford blue light sales manager. “We’re absolutely delighted to win a four-year tender, placing Transit in a very important role for such an important organisation.”

The Transit PPC will feature at the National Association of Police Fleet Managers (NAPFM) exhibition in Telford at the end of this month.