Truth about White Van Man

He is one of the most hated drivers on the road, forever cutting you up at the lights with complete disregard for his own paintwork - or yours.

Today, however, two of the myths surrounding White Van Man were finally exploded. He is not always from Essex and he is not always a builder.

New research shows he is most likely to be based in leafy Surrey and be running his own business as an electrician or plumber. The study pinpoints Sutton as having more white vans than anywhere else in Britain.

A total of 7.13 per cent of businesses in the area rely on the white van compared with just 5.88 per cent in Ilford, the town that has the least.

The survey by Wegener, the leading provider of consumer and lifestyle data in Europe, shows that the borough of Enfield is second, with 7.07 of businesses using a white van, often a Ford Transit or Mercedes Sprinter. Third most likely place to spot WVM is Dartford (7.06).

Essex does not make an appearance in the league table until position number four with Romford - where 7.02 per cent of businesses run a white van.

Contrary to popular opinion, the van will not be full of labourers travelling to the building site, the survey of two million businesses shows.

The tradesman most likely to buy and run a white van is the electrician who can use it as a mobile workshop, complete with bespoke benches and lighting. Plumbers favour it for carrying copper piping and radiators and bulky gear. Third on the list of tradesmen is the mechanic. Steve Cook, commercial director of Wegener Business Data Solutions said: "It will comfort those who like stereotypes to find that four of the top locations for white vans are in Essex. However, leafy Surrey has the highest number of the vehicles."