Tag: Department for Transport

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 17 November 2023.

Updated best practice guidance puts more emphasis on making taxi and PHV services more accessible to disabled people.

Ministers have urged councils to act on new government guidance to help improve the accessibility of taxis and minicabs in their area.

Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) are regulated by local licensing authorities and the government’s updates to guidance, published today (17 November 2023), underline councils must take action against drivers who discriminate against people with disabilities and guide dog owners, issuing fines and suspending licences where required. PHV operators, meanwhile, are encouraged to identify a passenger’s accessibility needs before they take a booking to ensure an appropriate vehicle is provided.

In addition, councils should incentivise the uptake of wheelchair accessible vehicles and ensure they can be used easily and safely by a range of passengers. Some wheelchair accessible vehicles may not be suitable for other disabled passengers and, when issuing licences, licensing authorities should ensure their area has the right mix of vehicles to suit their community.

Roads Minister, Guy Opperman, said:

Disabled people rely on taxi and private hire vehicles services and it’s unacceptable for people to be unlawfully discriminated against when travelling.

It’s vital these services cater for disabled people’s needs, and local authorities should take action now to ensure drivers and operators understand their duties so everyone can travel with confidence.

Other recommendations include training and assessing drivers with a focus on taking a defensive approach to driving, such as recognising the impact of speeding, or driving while distracted or fatigued, particularly where there have been passenger complaints.

The guidance also seeks to support industry by removing undue burdens. For instance, given the reliability and ease of satnav systems, PHV drivers should not be required to undertake navigational skills tests for pre-booked journeys, while licensing fees should be reviewed regularly to ensure they are appropriate.

Alongside the guidance, the Department for Transport (DfT) also intends to launch a further call for evidence specifically about passengers’ accessibility needs in taxis and PHVs to inform future policy decisions.

A Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) spokesperson said:

DPTAC welcomes this new best practice guidance, particularly the much greater emphasis on making taxi and PHV services more accessible to disabled people.

We hope that this will see licensing authorities addressing the barriers that hinder disabled people using taxis and PHVs, including a rapid reduction in the 38% of authorities that do not make disability awareness training mandatory for drivers.

We have been pleased to work with DfT in the production of this guidance and will continue to press for more steps to make taxis and PHVs more accessible.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 16 November 2023.

Plans for a fully integrated public transport system in Merseyside one step closer as Liverpool’s new, government-funded rail station opens.

Passengers in Liverpool could soon benefit from a simpler, more affordable and integrated transport network thanks to an agreement signed by Transport Secretary Mark Harper and Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram today (16 November 2023).

The memorandum of understanding commits to the government working in closer collaboration with the city to deliver plans for a fully integrated public transport system in Merseyside. Signatories included the Transport Secretary, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Network Rail and the Great British Railways Transition Team.

The agreement could pave the way for easier, cheaper and more accessible journeys across the city, providing better connectivity to jobs, education and business opportunities in Liverpool. It also supports the government’s commitment to empower local authorities and ensure the needs of local communities are at the heart of decision-making.

It comes alongside £12 billion announced by the government as part of its Network North plan to better connect Manchester and Liverpool. The funding will allow the delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail as previously planned, including high-speed lines.

The agreement was signed at the official opening of Headbolt Lane station – the country’s newest train station in Kirkby, funded by £80 million of government funding.

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said:

Today’s agreement demonstrates this government’s commitment to transforming public transport across the country and empowering elected leaders to make decisions based on the priorities of local people.

This agreement follows over £1 billion of funding committed to the city through our Network North plans and will kickstart transport improvements for people across the city, making journeys affordable and accessible for all.

Headbolt Lane station is the new terminus for Merseyrail and Northern services. Passengers are already benefitting from the station, which offers improved connections to the centre of Liverpool, Wigan and Manchester, as well as better connectivity to the region’s bus services.

It will be served by new state-of-the-art trains equipped with innovative battery technology, which are currently being developed and rolled out across the entire Merseyrail fleet as part of plans to double capacity on the network and deliver greener, more reliable services.

Thanks to government funding, it will soon become the first battery-powered fleet in the UK, opening up the possibility for further expansion of the Merseyrail network.

Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, said:

This deal signifies not only a massive moment for our region – but the start of a new wave of devolution for the country. It puts us on track to open up the right conversations around how we can improve our rail network for the better and run it in the best interests of passengers.

It’s the Liverpool City Region once again blazing a trail in the revolution of our railways – and I’ll be fighting our area’s corner every step of the way to make sure we capitalise on this opportunity.

As part of the government’s Network North plan, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority also received a further £1 billion from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements, plus a further £600 million made possible through the decision on Phase 2 of HS2. This is more than double the city’s previous allocation.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 16 November 2023.

UK businesses can apply for up to £500,000 to run pioneering trials that tackle local transport challenges.

A new £2 million competition is launching today (16 November 2023) to encourage businesses and local authorities to work together to develop and trial transport schemes that cut emissions in the long term.

The Transport Decarbonisation Demonstrators programme, funded by the Department for Transport (DfT), 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 while 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 (UKRI) – and the UK’s national innovation agency, which helps businesses to grow and develop new technologies. The competition will open on 27 November 2023 and close on 8 January 2024.

Businesses can apply to the Transport Decarbonisation competition 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 is delighted to be working with DfT 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 27 November 2023.

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.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 14 November 2023.

New station to improve connectivity, benefitting education and business in the UK’s ‘City of Culture’.

Rail passengers in Bradford will be connected to more jobs, education and business opportunities, thanks to the government’s commitment to deliver a new train station in the city.

The plan was first revealed last month as part of the government’s launch of Network North – a £36 billion long-term plan to improve the country’s transport across roads, buses and railways, through unprecedented levels of investment.

Today (14 November 2023), the Department for Transport is building on its promise of building a brand-new railway station in Bradford by providing £400,000 for the local authority to kickstart master planning on the project.

The work will consider how the new station can best support regeneration in the surrounding area and maximise its potential to create new homes, jobs and local economic growth – as well as significantly improving transport links and cutting journey times.

Once complete, the findings will form part of a wider business case for the project which will include details on the proposed location and delivery date for the station.

Rail Minister, Huw Merriman, said:

I have championed the case for a new railway station in Bradford for a long time and the funding announced today will make this commitment one step closer to becoming a reality.

Bradford is soon to become the UK’s ‘City of Culture’ and our scheme to deliver a brand new station and railway line will help attract tourism, unlock access to neighbouring cities and provide the area with the huge regeneration opportunities it deserves to boost connectivity and economic growth.

The station will be delivered as part of the government’s Network North pledge to connect major cities in the North of England with more frequent trains, increased capacity and faster journeys.

On top of the £400,000 announced today for regeneration plans in the city, a total of £2 billion will be invested to build the station and a new line to deliver a significantly faster, 30-minute journey to Manchester via Huddersfield.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford Council, said:

It is good to see this moving forward, everyone has worked so hard for so long to get this progressed. Improving connectivity for Bradford to the rest of the North is so important to enable greater investment, jobs and opportunities.  There can be no successful North without Bradford being successful.

Today’s announcement comes on top of a further £2.5 billion Network North pledge to support the West Yorkshire mass transit system which will improve connections between Leeds and Bradford, Huddersfield and Halifax. It will mean Leeds is no longer the biggest European city without a mass-transit system, with up to 7 lines potentially created as part of a transformed network.

In addition to this, the government continues to push forward plans to electrify the Calder Valley Line between Bradford and Leeds – backed by £500 million – to cut journey times by around 40% from 20 minutes to as low as 12 minutes.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 9 November 2023.

Announcing an inquiry into the events of 24 November 2021, when at least 27 people lost their lives crossing the Channel.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has announced an inquiry is to be established to look into the events of 24 November 2021, when at least 27 people lost their lives crossing the Channel.

The independent, non-statutory inquiry will be designed to allow a full and independent investigation into the circumstances of the deaths to take place in the absence of a normal coroner’s inquest.

The announcement of the inquiry follows today’s publication of a report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) outlining the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said:

Today our thoughts are with the families of all those involved in the tragic events of 24 November 2021.

I am grateful to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch for their report examining this tragic incident, and the government will carefully consider its findings and recommendations. As the report recognises, the operational picture in the Channel has changed significantly since 24 November 2021, and I know that HM Coastguard continuously seeks to learn lessons and improve.

Every day, hundreds of courageous responders from HM Coastguard and other UK agencies, including volunteers, stand ready to respond around the clock to every search and rescue operation involving small boats in the Channel. This incident reinforces the scale of the task they face.

The inquiry I have announced today will allow a thorough and independent investigation into the circumstances of the deaths to take place, further to the MAIB’s report, to give the families of the victims the clarity they deserve. I know that the Coastguard will engage fully and openly with it.

On the day of the tragedy, 1,227 people attempted to cross the Channel. HM Coastguard search and rescue operations have adapted to the changes in demand presented by small boats in the Channel.

The fundamental role of HM Coastguard is to save lives at sea by responding to any person in distress, and the service works unceasingly to save anyone that needs help.

The inquiry being established will look into who the deceased were, and when, where and in what circumstances they came by their deaths.

It will also consider what further lessons can be learned from the events of 24 November 2021 and, if appropriate, make recommendations to reduce the risk of a similar event occurring.

A chair and full terms of reference for the Inquiry will be announced by the Department for Transport in due course.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 9 November 2023.

Self-driving vehicles will help make travel more convenient and accessible, improving the lives of millions of people who can not drive.

New laws introduced into Parliament yesterday (8 November 2023) will put safety at the heart of the roll-out of self-driving vehicle technology and position the UK as world-leaders of this exciting £42 billion industry.

As announced in the King’s Speech on Tuesday 7 November, the government’s new Automated Vehicles (AV) Bill will deliver one of the most comprehensive legal frameworks of its kind anywhere in the world for self-driving vehicles, with safety at its core.

The new safety framework will ensure clear liability for the user, set the safety threshold for legal self-driving and establish an in-use regulatory scheme to monitor the ongoing safety of these vehicles.

Self-driving vehicles could help reduce deaths and injuries from drink driving, speeding and driver tiredness, with 88% of road collisions having human error as a contributory factor. But before these vehicles are allowed on our roads, they will now have to meet or exceed rigorous new safety requirements, set out in law.

The technology will also help make travel more convenient and accessible, improving the lives of millions of people who can not drive.

They can be used to better connect rural communities, improving access to essential services and reducing isolation. They can make last-mile delivery and long-haul freight services more efficient, reduce congestion and they can provide on-demand transport services.

This Bill will help cement the UK’s position as a global leader in this high tech and high growth industry, which could create up to 38,000 jobs.

It comes amid wider government funding and support for trials of self-driving technologies in the UK, like the £66 million Commercialising Connected and Automated Mobility fund which is supporting 20 projects in nearly 50 organisations to develop prototype passenger and logistics self-driving services.

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said:

Our new Bill ensures safety is at the heart of our plans to see self-driving vehicles on our roads, making the UK a great place to develop this technology.

We have the opportunity to put the UK at the forefront of a fast-growing, multi-billion-pound industry by providing the clarity and certainty for business to develop and invest in this exciting technology.

Transport Minister, Jesse Norman, said:

Today marks a landmark occasion as we usher in the future of transport, aiming at safer, greener and more efficient travel for all.

The AV Bill’s comprehensive legal framework has safety and the protection of the user at its core.

This will be done through:

• creating a rigorous new safety framework: setting the safety threshold for self-driving vehicles in law, while giving government the tools it needs to enforce standards and hold companies to account
• ensuring clear legal liability at all times: making companies responsible for how their self-driving vehicles behave on the road and protecting users from being unfairly held accountable
• protecting consumers and the public: ensuring only vehicles that meet rigorous self-driving standards can be marketed as such

All self-driving vehicles will be required to undergo robust safety testing before they are permitted to drive on UK roads, and the AV Bill will ensure clear legal liability when a vehicle is driving itself by creating new legal entities responsible for self-driving.

Every authorised self-driving vehicle will have a corresponding Authorised Self-Driving Entity– often the manufacturer – which will be responsible for the behaviour of the vehicle when self-driving. Companies will have ongoing obligations to keep their vehicles safe and ensure that they continue to drive in accordance with British laws.

The Bill will prohibit misleading market practices, including around using ambiguous terminology in advertising material around whether their vehicles classify as self driving. Regulations under the Bill will set out specific terminology and symbols which will be reserved for marketing authorised self-driving vehicles. Unauthorised and improper use of this terminology will be against the law and a criminal offence.

The laws implement the recommendations of the review of self-driving vehicle regulation carried out by the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission. This landmark review brings together over 4 years of legal work, 3 rounds of public consultation, and hundreds of responses from a wide range of organisations and individuals.

Alex Kendall, Co-founder and CEO of Wayve, said:

Today’s announcement that the government will bring forward legislation for self-driving signals to the global self-driving industry that the UK government is committed to fostering innovation for the future of transport. By setting out a clear path to commercialisation, new primary legislation for self-driving vehicles gives us the confidence to continue investing in research and development and growing our talent base here in the UK.

We look forward to continuing to work with the government to cement the UK’s role as a global centre of excellence for self-driving technology that will make our roads safer and unlock new growth.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 6 November 2023.

Backed by £2.5 million of funding, specially-trained officers will enhance public safety and help prevent violence against women and girls on and around public transport.

Front-line safety personnel will be rolled out on public transport in 4 English areas to help stamp out anti-social behaviour on buses, trains and trams.

The new TSOs will patrol targeted routes and locations, working in co-ordination with local police forces and the British Transport Police. The officers will work to improve safety with an emphasis on engagement and education, however, they will also hold the power to issue fixed penalty notices in response to certain antisocial behaviour.

Following the successful implementation of a TSO scheme by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), £2.5 million in funding from the Department for Transport (DfT) will see TSOs deployed in:

• Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
• Lancashire
• Stoke-on-Trent
• Thurrock – in collaboration with Essex and Southend-on-Sea councils

The pilots will allow local authorities to develop and implement approaches that react directly to the specific needs of their local area.

This is part of wider government commitments to improving public transport and follows the recent allocation of £150 million to improve bus services in the North and Midlands – the first tranche of £1 billion of new funding, redirected from High Speed 2 (HS2) as part of Network North.

Transport Minister, Richard Holden, said:

Anti-social behaviour is completely unacceptable – I want to see it eradicated from our public transport.

As part of the government’s anti-social behaviour action plan, these new specially trained officers will help drive offenders off local networks, so that people can travel on their local train, tram and bus with peace of mind.

The pilot will also give us a greater understanding of what works when it comes to tackling antisocial behaviour, enabling us to continue improving journeys for passengers in the future.

TfWM will receive funding to expand their own TSO scheme, recruiting officers specifically trained and dedicated to tackling incidents involving women’s safety, helping to make women and girls feel safer when travelling on public transport. The measure is part of a wider government strategy to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG), in answer to the recommendations as set out by the VAWG Transport Champions, Laura Shoaf and Anne Shaw.

Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, said:

The vast majority of public transport journeys in our region – millions each week – are without incident but one bad experience for a passenger is one too many and risks putting them off public transport in future.

That’s why we’re always looking for new ways to improve safety and security. Working through our Safer Travel Partnership, we developed the new role of Transport Safety Officers to deal with anti-social behaviour and provide visible extra assurance to the travelling public.

TSOs have proven to be very effective and today’s visit shows that what we’re pioneering here in the West Midlands has been noticed by government. We’re now looking forward to helping other regions to develop their own teams of TSOs and learn from our experience.

Anne Shaw, Executive Director of Transport for West Midlands and Transport Champion for tackling VAWG, said:

While incidents do remain thankfully low, the fear of violence and intimidation is a huge barrier for women using public transport particularly when travelling alone or in the dark.

One way to improve safety is having more visible staff on our networks – which is why we have increased the numbers of uniformed officers on patrol through a dedicated team of transport safety officers.

They have proved a huge success in keeping people safe, both through directly tackling anti-social behaviour or simply providing a reassuring presence on board.

The roll out of the TSO scheme supports the government’s wider Anti-social behaviour action plan, which is backed by £160m worth of funding.

Under the plan, 16 areas in England and Wales are being funded to support either new anti-social behaviour focused ‘hotspot’ police and enforcement patrols in areas with the highest rates of anti-social behaviour, or trialling a new ‘immediate justice’ scheme to deliver swift and visible punishments. A select few areas are trialling both interventions.

Thanks to this work, several hotspot trial forces have reported significant declines in anti-social behaviour. The Lancashire Constabulary have reported that in Brunswick, Blackpool, there has been a 36% fall in reported incidents of anti-social behaviour compared to the same period last year when hotspot patrols were not in place.

Staffordshire Police have reported a combined 20% fall in reported incidents of anti-social behaviour across 5 locations in Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle under-Lyme compared to the previous year.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 30 October 2023.

Vital reforms considered by the Aviation Council to achieve an innovative and efficient sector that provides more choice and better value for passengers.

The Aviation Council is set to meet today (30 October 2023) to continue its progress towards futureproofing the UK aviation sector and maintain its status as one of the strongest in the world.

Established to deliver the government’s long-term aviation strategy, Flightpath to the Future, over the next 10 years, the Aviation Council will meet for the fourth time to consider vital reforms to help deliver a modern, innovative and efficient sector fit for the future. These key improvements will allow for new flights and destinations, providing more choice and better value for passengers with fewer delays. The meeting will also be a chance to welcome newest members UK tour operator TUI in the process.

A key area of work for the Council to improve the sector is airspace modernisation, which will deliver new and efficient planning that will help reduce aviation emissions. In addition, progress continues to be made towards reforming the current slot system, so it helps maintain a competitive and environmentally conscious aviation industry. This will provide more reliability and competition for passengers to choose from.

Aviation Minister, Baroness Vere of Norbiton, said:

The UK aviation sector is one of the most competitive in the world and is a significant contributor to growth and jobs both domestically and internationally, so it’s vital the Aviation Council collaborates to help to build on that sustainably.

We will continue to push the UK aviation industry forward as we welcome newest member TUI, which has a strong record of delivering jobs and skills, bolstering the UK’s aviation workforce for the future.

Since the last Council, there has been considerable progress reducing the barriers for entry into the aviation sector and enhancing the use of apprenticeships, which has opened up routes for young people to join an industry that may have previously seemed inaccessible.

This progress will be supported by TUI’s addition to the Council. TUI champions it own multi-crew pilot licence (MPL) cadet programme, which see applicants train as a pilot before becoming a Cadet Pilot for TUI.

Marco Ciomperlik, Chief Airline Officer, TUI Group, said:

TUI offers top quality holidays to over 6 million British customers each year and TUI Airways has a unique position in UK aviation by flying from 22 UK airports to over 80 destinations with over 60 aircraft.

We are delighted to contribute to the Aviation Council to help drive progress on vital issues that will deliver more for passengers and create new job opportunities in our dynamic industry.

This training is paid for by TUI and paid off by the pilot as they earn an additional salary, helping those who otherwise would not be able to pay for the required training. With a clear track record in building a sustainable workforce, TUI’s inclusion to the Council will only help bolster the Council’s accrued knowledge.

Securing interest from young people to deliver the aviators of tomorrow is a key aim of the joint government-industry Generation Aviation programme. The latest data shows that over the course of the year, the programme has reached over 75,000 young people and jobseekers across its roadshows, education visits and general outreach – planting the seed that aviation is a fun, challenging and, most of all, exciting career path to explore.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 25 October 2023.

Regulations to improve the EV charging experience for millions of drivers.

Millions of electric vehicle (EV) drivers will benefit from easier and more reliable public charging thanks to new laws approved by MPs last night (24 October 2023).

New regulations will ensure that prices across chargepoints are transparent and easy to compare and that a large proportion of new public chargepoints have contactless payment options.

Providers will also be required to open up their data, so drivers can easily find an available chargepoint that meets their needs. It will open up data for apps, online maps and in-vehicle software, making it easier for drivers to locate chargepoints, check their charging speeds and determine whether they are working and available for use.

These measures come as the country reaches record levels of public charging infrastructure, with numbers growing 42% year on year.

Technology and Decarbonisation Minister, Jesse Norman, said:

Over time, these new regulations will improve EV charging for millions of drivers, helping them find the chargepoints they want, providing price transparency so that they can compare the cost of different charging options, and updating payment methods.

They will make the switch to electric easier than ever for drivers, support the economy and help the UK reach its 2035 goals.

Once the regulations come into force, drivers will also be able to contact free 24/7 helplines for any issues accessing charging on public roads. Chargepoint operators will also have to open up chargepoint data, making it easier to find available chargers.

James Court, CEO, Electric Vehicle Association England, said:

Better reliability, clearer pricing, easier payments, plus the potentially game-changing opportunities of open data are all a major step forward for EV drivers and should make the UK one of the best places to charge in the world.

As the rollout of charging infrastructure gathers momentum, these regulations will ensure quality and help put consumers needs at the heart of this transition.

These regulations follow the government’s recent announcement of a range of measures to speed up the installation of chargepoints through the Plan for Drivers. This includes reviewing the grid connections process for installation and extending chargepoint grants for schools.

The government also continues to support the rollout of charging infrastructure in local areas. Applications are currently open to local authorities in the first round of the £381 million Local EV Infrastructure fund, which will deliver tens of thousands more chargepoints and transform the availability of charging for drivers without off-street parking. In addition, the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) is open to all UK local authorities.

The government 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. Today’s regulations will help support drivers as more and more switch to electric.

Today the government has also published its response to the Future of Transport Zero Emission Vehicles consultation, confirming its intention to introduce laws to require local transport authorities to produce local charging strategies if they have not done so as part of local transport plans. This will ensure that every part of the country has a plan for EV charging infrastructure.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 23 October 2023.

The competition will award grants to businesses that seek to provide solutions to some of transport’s most-pressing issues, including decarbonisation.

A new £1.8 million competition is opening to support the latest innovative transport solutions as the government seeks to grow the economy while looking at ways to decarbonise transport.

The latest round of funding through the Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) competition has opened today (23 October 2023) and sees an increased available grant amount per winner of up to £45,000 per project.

This round of funding will look at several different areas including ways to decarbonise airport operations and ways to better use artificial intelligence (AI) to make transport cheaper and quicker.

The TRIG competition, delivered by the Connected Places Catapult (CPC), awards grants to businesses seeking to develop research and provide solutions to some of transport’s most-pressing issues including decarbonisation.

Last year’s TRIG competition saw 67 projects awarded funding, including personalised navigation apps for disabled passengers and robots for freight at ports, creating jobs and growing the economy across the UK.

Technology Minister, Jesse Norman, said:

TRIG funding has been a huge success over the past 10 years, helping to pioneer the new ideas to solve the transport problems of tomorrow.

Today’s launch of the latest round of funding promises to build on the knowledge that innovation is key to helping improve transport across the UK, making lives easier and creating jobs.

This year, the competition is seeking proposals which focus on:

• airport decarbonisation: innovative ideas to support the development of airport ground infrastructure for zero emission aircraft or to support airport operations transition to zero emission
• local transport decarbonisation: innovative ideas that accelerate the decarbonisation of local transport systems, demonstrating an understanding of the needs of local areas and communities, whilst also having the potential to be scaled-up across the UK in the future
• the Future of Freight: innovative ideas that address the opportunities and challenges faced by the Freight and Logistics sector and its supporting services, as outlined in the Future of Freight plan
• maritime decarbonisation: innovative ideas for maritime solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the UK’s maritime sector, as set out in the Clean Maritime Plan, and support the transition to net zero by 2050
• connectivity, AI and digital twins: innovative ideas that combine AI, digital twins and / or digital connectivity together to enable a resilient transport system delivering cheaper, cleaner, and quicker journeys for all
• open call: innovative ideas that have the potential to address a UK transport challenge, across all modes, challenges and technology areas

Following its continued success, TRIG is now in its 10th year, with over £12 million has been awarded to 361 projects since 2014. Previous winners have developed a range pioneering of initiatives including:

• an app that uses augmented reality to help visually impaired passengers get around rail stations
• kite-powered tug boats to reduce emissions
• drones to deliver packages in hard-to-reach areas

Connected Places Catapult’s Chief Executive Officer, Nicola Yates OBE, said:

Transport research and innovation grants support high-potential innovators to develop their fresh ideas. Alongside financial assistance, they will receive a wide-range of business support from Connected Places Catapult to help them realise their commercial potential.

The increased funding available per project this year will mean innovators have access to more resources to further their ideas. If you have an innovative idea that could help tackle some of the UK’s transport challenges, I urge you to apply now.

Previous winners include Edge Innovation, which created a new approach to community car sharing in rural areas.

Head of Projects at Edge Innovation, Susan Ross, said:

The programme has enabled a new product, brand and support packages to be created and to move the concept from TRL2 to TRL6. This would not have been possible without the TRIG programme.

The application process and monitoring processes were user friendly and the teams at CPC and the Department for Transport were very supportive.  I would encourage anyone who has a transport innovation however big or small to apply. I am certainly glad that we did!

IONA Drones, the first drone solution that meets the needs and regulations for rural logistics, enables efficient and sustainable autonomous deliveries anywhere and for everybody.

IONA Drones Chief Executive, Etienne Louvet, said:

TRIG and the CPC network were instrumental on IONA’s research and development efforts, especially when funding gets scarce which naturally penalises industrial technologies.

Since then, we have continued to work efficiently and are pursuing new later stage opportunities.

The TRIG competition is now open for applications.