- Six areas across the UK awarded funding to test smart street
lamps that can house EV
charging hubs and boost wireless coverage including
5G
- areas to match government funding to trial multi-purpose tech
that can help local authorities unlock new economic,
environmental and social benefits
- funding delivered through Smart Infrastructure Pilots
Programme (SIPP) to level-up
digital connectivity
Smart street lamps that can charge electric vehicles and boost
wireless coverage will be rolled out in towns and cities across
the UK, as part of a £1.3 million pilot to test next-generation
digital technologies.
With the rising demand for wireless services, companies are
increasingly exploring opportunities to install infrastructure on
lamp posts, traffic lights, CCTV columns, benches, bins
and bus stops. That is why six areas from across the UK will
receive funding to trial new multi-purpose street columns which
will house equipment to support the rollout of advanced wireless
networks like 5G or free public WiFi,
boosting connectivity for people out and about in town and city
centres.
The successful pilots will match government funding for this
programme, receiving a total investment of over £4 million to
help boost local connectivity. The government will provide £1.3
million, while the local authorities will invest a further £2.7
million – helping to deliver better services in communities.
These pilots can also be adapted to carry out a range of
functions - from charging EVs to monitoring air quality, and
displaying public information to saving energy with street
lighting - that will enable councils and combined authorities to
unlock new opportunities and improve public services.
The six authorities which
will receive government funding through the Smart Infrastructure
Pilots Programme (SIPP) are:
- Cambridgeshire County Council (£220,000)
- Tees Valley Combined Authority (£202,500)
- Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (£245,700)
- Westminster City Council (£165,000)
- Oxfordshire County Council (£250,000)
- North Ayrshire Council (£242,765)
By trialling different uses across these areas, the aim is to
show how state-of-the-art wireless technology can become an
integral part of UK infrastructure, connecting public services
and businesses in new ways to realise the full benefits of
5G and
advanced connectivity.
Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure Sir said:
The way we stay in touch, access information and do business is
underpinned by digital connectivity - and a world-class wireless
infrastructure will be the foundation for the jobs, skills, and
services of the future.
We want to ensure that towns and cities across the UK are right
at the forefront of this connectivity revolution, ready to seize
the opportunities it will bring for local communities, which is
exactly what these pilots are about.
They will help demonstrate how advanced wireless technology can
enable areas to innovate and deliver better public services, from
rolling out electric vehicle chargers to boosting business growth
and helping keep our streets safe.
David, CEO, techUK said:
Today’s announcement is a welcome step from the UK government in
putting wireless connectivity at the heart of local
infrastructure deployment. We must empower more local authorities
so that they can foster the greater use of advanced connectivity
in their areas, helping unlock growth and innovation across the
whole of the UK.
As techUK set out in our recent Tech Plan, we must give consumers
the confidence to switch to electric vehicles to help overcome
“range anxiety”, one of the major factors preventing greater
uptake of EVs.
We hope these pilots can help other local areas realise the
benefits that smart infrastructure promises.
The SIPP is designed
to support the government’s Wireless Infrastructure
Strategy, which sets out how the UK will put wireless
connectivity at the heart of new and existing infrastructure,
while driving private investment, boosting innovation, and
unlocking new opportunities for economic growth.
The pilot programmes will begin from October 2023 and will run
until 31 March 2025.
Notes to editors
The SIPP programme
is a separate, but complimentary initiative to the 5GInnovation Regions
that was announced in April, forming part of DSIT’s
wider programme to drive 5G adoption across the
UK.
This initiative will operate at scale and be empowered to unlock
opportunities tailored to their specific needs and strengths, to
generate value and growth at the local level - working with local
industry and public services through the adoption of 5G and other advanced
networking technologies.
This is made possible through funding from the Shared Outcomes
Fund which encourages collaboration between different government
departments to achieve common goals. The Smart Infrastructure
Pilots Programme is a joint effort between the Department for
Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
and the Department for Transport (DfT).
The pilots will match government funding for this programme, a
total investment of over £4 million to help boost local
connectivity. The government will provide £1.3 million, while the
local authorities will invest a further £2.7 million.
These pilot projects are specifically testing the application of
the British Standards Institute Publicly Available Standard 191
(PAS 191)
for designing and acquiring new smart infrastructure by local
authorities.
