£2 million competition aims to reduce carbon emissions in UK transportation

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【Summary】The UK government has launched a £2 million competition, the Transport Decarbonisation Demonstrators programme, to decarbonize transport across the country. The program aims to foster collaboration between businesses and local authorities to pioneer and test innovative transport solutions that reduce emissions. The competition is open to all UK businesses, with grants of up to £500,000 available for pioneering trials targeting local transport challenges.

FutureCar Staff Nov 16, 2023 8:17 AM PT

£2 million competition aims to reduce carbon emissions in UK transportation

A £2 million competition has been launched by the UK government to decarbonise transport across the country. The Transport Decarbonisation Demonstrators programme aims to foster collaboration between businesses and local authorities in order to pioneer and test innovative transport schemes that promise long-term emission reductions. The programme, which will open for applications on 27 November 2023 and conclude on 8 January 2024, aims to support businesses in bringing cutting-edge solutions closer to the market and stimulate economic growth.

The competition is open to all UK businesses and invites applicants to seek grants of up to £500,000 to execute pioneering trials targeting local transport challenges. Notably, 50% of the fund is earmarked for rural areas, highlighting the commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to address unique challenges such as job access and social isolation. The trials funded by the competition aim to shape the future of green transport systems while enhancing the range and accessibility of transport options available to passengers.

The competitive grants will be administered by Innovate UK, the national innovation agency under UK Research and Innovation. Mike Biddle, Executive Director Net Zero at Innovate UK, emphasized the importance of taking a place-based approach to decarbonise transport systems in order to reach net zero targets both locally and nationally. He expressed delight in working with the Department for Transport to invest £2 million in innovation projects that not only reduce emissions but also build key partnerships between local authorities and businesses for maximum impact.

This announcement aligns seamlessly with the UK government's Transport Decarbonisation Plan, which aims to drive decarbonisation efforts at the local level and contribute to the creation of greener villages, towns, and cities. The initiative builds upon the success of the Transport Research Innovation Grants (TRIG) local decarbonisation call from 2022, which funded 20 innovators developing early-stage solutions to local decarbonisation challenges.

The government's commitment to green transport is further emphasized by its recent commitment to achieving zero-emission vehicles by 2035. This ambitious target mandates that 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain must be zero-emission by 2030.