- Government investing in Local Authorities and Businesses to
develop green travel schemes
- Vital trials will aim to reduce transport emissions in our
towns and cities
- Competition forms part of wider Transport Decarbonisation
Plan
A new £2 million competition is launching today to encourage
businesses and local authorities to work together to develop and
trial transport schemes that cut emissions in the long term.
The Transport Decarbonization Demonstrators programme, funded by
the Department for Transport, will also help to grow local
economies by supporting businesses to bring new solutions closer
to market.
Any UK business can apply for up to £500,000 to run innovative
trials that tackle local transport challenges on-the-ground. Half
of this £2 million fund will be reserved for rural areas,
supporting them in unlocking the benefits of technology and
innovation to tackle challenges, such as access to jobs and
reducing loneliness.
The trials will help to develop the green transport systems of
the future, whilst improving choice and availability of transport
options for passengers.
The competitive grants will be awarded and delivered by Innovate
UK – part of UK Research and Innovation and the UK’s national
innovation agency which helps businesses grow and develop new
technologies. The competition will open on 27th
November and close on 8th January, and businesses can
apply online.
Mike Biddle, Executive Director Net Zero at Innovate UK
said:
“Taking a place-based approach to decarbonise our transport
systems is critical if we are to reach our net zero targets both
locally and nationally and prosper from the transition to net
zero.
“Innovate UK are delighted to be working with the Department for
Transport to invest £2 million in innovation projects aimed at
not only reducing emissions, but also building key partnerships
between local authorities and businesses which will ensure
maximum impact.”
As part of the Government’s Transport Decarbonisation
Plan, today’s announcement delivers on driving
decarbonisation at the local level, and will contribute to making
our villages, towns and cities greener.
It builds on the success of last year’s Transport Research
Innovation Grants(TRIG) local decarbonisation call, which
funded 20 innovators to develop early-stage solutions to local
decarbonisation challenges. The latest round of TRIG
funding closes for applications on 27th November.
This Government is leading the way with green transport having
recently set out its world-leading path to
reaching zero emission vehicles by 2035, which will require
80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain to be
zero emission by 2030.
