UK firms challenged to cut freight emissions

UK companies are urged to compete for up to US$20 million (£15 million) of funding to develop technology to reduce harmful emissions from freight. Roads Minister Jesse Norman has called on businesses to lead research into low emission technology for lorries, as well as cars and vans. The projects could see materials which make vehicles lighter, or improve the efficiency of engines or batteries, he says.
September 22, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

UK companies are urged to compete for up to US$20 million (£15 million) of funding to develop technology to reduce harmful emissions from freight.

Roads Minister Jesse Norman has called on businesses to lead research into low emission technology for lorries, as well as cars and vans.  The projects could see materials which make vehicles lighter, or improve the efficiency of engines or batteries, he says.

The Government is continuing to find innovative ways of improving air quality across the country and the funding comes just a month after the Air Quality Plan.

The competition has been developed with Innovate UK and will help the Government achieve its ambition to be a global leader in electric vehicle technology and to see all vehicles emission free by 2040.

The first of the projects in the Government’s Low Emission Freight and Logistics Trial, announced earlier this year, are now using new electric and hydrogen dual-fuel vehicles on our roads. By mid-2018, more than 300 of these low emission vehicles will be on UK roads.

Since 2010, the Office for Low Emission Vehicles and Innovate UK have invested more than US$271 million (£300 million) in research and development, targeted at improving technologies for ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs), which has unlocked a further £200 million of private sector investment. The number of ultra low emission vehicles on our roads is at record levels with more than 118,000 registered to date and more than 11,000 registered between April and June this year.

Urban Traffic Control

Related Content

  • Cut freight deliveries – improve Southampton’s air quality
    November 23, 2018
    Taking the pressure off cities’ road networks can have a beneficial effect on the environment. David Crawford looks at a new economic model which seeks to quantify the societal effect of freight traffic in Southampton, one of the UK’s five most polluted cities Cuts of 60% or more in volumes of freight deliveries are being predicted - along with badly-needed improvements in air quality - from a load consolidation scheme currently being introduced in the UK port city of Southampton. The forecasts are based o
    Read More
  • Plug-in vehicles set to increase in popularity
    January 11, 2016
    The demand for plug-in vehicles (PIVs) has increased in the UK over the last number of years, says UK Construction Media. According to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the number of electric car registrations has increased substantially over the past 12 months. An average of 2,400 electrical vehicles was registered per month in 2015 compared with just 500 at the beginning of 2014. It is estimated that the total number of electrical vehicles on the UK roads total
    Read More
  • UK buses to benefit from pollution reducing fund
    June 6, 2013
    A number of towns and cities in England will benefit from US$7.7 million in funding to reduce pollution from local buses, local transport minister Norman Baker has announced. Local authorities will be able to bid for grants of up to US$1.5 million from the Department for Transport’s Clean Bus Technology Fund. This will allow them to upgrade local buses with pollution-reducing technologies such as cleaner engines or exhaust after-treatment equipment.
    Read More
  • ‘Shining moment of opportunity for tolling’
    May 5, 2021
    Climate change is already affecting tolling operations in many parts of the world. IBTTA’s Bill Cramer explains how the sector can be seen as a proven funding and financing mechanism for surface transportation
    Read More

Highlighted Content