Decarbonizing UK's Transport: £2 Million Competition Launched

author: FutureCar Staff    

The UK government has launched a £2 million competition called the Transport Decarbonisation Demonstrators programme to accelerate the decarbonisation of transport across the country. The programme aims to foster collaboration between businesses and local authorities to pioneer and test innovative transport solutions that promise long-term emission reductions.

Applications for the competition will open on 27 November 2023 and close on 8 January 2024. The programme is designed to support economic growth by helping businesses bring cutting-edge solutions closer to the market.

The competition is open to all UK businesses and offers grants of up to £500,000 for pioneering trials that target local transport challenges. Notably, 50% of the fund is reserved for rural areas, highlighting the commitment to using 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 improving the range and accessibility of transport options for passengers. The 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. He stated that this approach is critical to achieving net zero targets both locally and nationally and to benefit from the transition to net zero. Biddle expressed his delight in working with the Department for Transport to invest £2 million in innovation projects that not only reduce emissions but also build partnerships between local authorities and businesses for maximum impact.

This announcement aligns with the UK government's Transport Decarbonisation Plan, which aims to drive decarbonisation efforts at the local level and create greener villages, towns, and cities.

The Transport Decarbonisation Demonstrators programme builds upon the success of the Transport Research Innovation Grants (TRIG) local decarbonisation call from 2022, which supported 20 innovators in developing early-stage solutions to local decarbonisation challenges.

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

FutureCar Staff