Decarbonising UK's transportation: £2 million competition launched

author: FutureCar Staff    

The UK government has launched a £2 million competition called the Transport Decarbonisation Demonstrators programme to encourage the decarbonisation of transport across the country. This initiative is in line with the government's commitment to have zero-emission vehicles by 2035. The programme aims to foster collaboration between businesses and local authorities to pioneer and test innovative transport schemes that promise long-term emission reductions.

The competition, which will open for applications on 27 November 2023 and conclude on 8 January 2024, is designed to support businesses in bringing cutting-edge solutions closer to the market. It invites all UK businesses 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, emphasizing 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 decarbonize transport systems. He stated that this approach is critical to reaching net zero targets both locally and nationally. The partnership between local authorities and businesses will ensure maximum impact in reducing emissions and building key partnerships.

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 competition 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. By 2030, 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain must be zero-emission, according to the ambitious target.

FutureCar Staff