Renault UK is to scrap its separate fleet and commercial vehicle operations department and create a single car and van sales division. The company will merge its current fleet and commercial vehicle operations into its commercial operations department.

The move follows Renault’s decision to cut around 10,000 to 12,000 units a year from its sales volumes by removing “unprofitable” business to daily rental companies and Motability, and the departure of former operations director, Ian Plummer, at the end of December.

The company has announced Darren Payne as its new sales director with immediate effect. Mr Payne was formerly director for fleet and commercial vehicle operations and joined Renault UK’s board of directors in October 2009.

The company said the newly merged operation will “ensure a consistent strategy across all of the marque’s sales channels, which is set to become even more important with ZE and Dacia activity in the months ahead”.