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Northgate Vehicle Hire acquires Blakedale

Northgate Vehicle Hire has acquired a supplier of specialist traffic management and support vehicles.

Blakedale is a family-owned business based in Chorley, Lancashire which over the past 30 years has built itself into what it says is the UK’s largest privately-owned traffic management company.

Its specialist fleet of 334 traffic management vehicles range from 3.5-18 tonnes and is supplied to highways contractors on both short and long-term rental and contract hire. The fleet currently works across a range of motorway and urban environments and is also available for self-drive hire.

In 2020 Blakedale relocated to its current 20,000 square foot premises in Matrix Park, Chorley where its team design, build, repair and maintain vehicles for the UK’s highways contractors. These include 18-tonne impact protection vehicles, welfare vans and bespoke traffic management vehicles of all shapes and sizes.

Blakedale will operate as a separate division, thus retaining its premises and people.

Current joint MD and family shareholder Carmen Bowley, who has worked in the business since 1999 will remain on board to ensure a smooth transition process during the coming months.

Northgate has appointed Jon Taylor as joint MD to initially work alongside Bowley. Together they will leverage the specialist skills and resources of both businesses to deliver enhanced customer propositions.

Martin Ward, CEO of Redde Northgate plc, said: “It’s a perfect fit with our Northgate Vehicle Hire business which already operates in the traffic management sector.”

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