Tag: Department for Transport

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 19 October 2023.

Updated guidance explains what passengers need to know about their rights and responsibilities when flying.

As millions of people are expected to travel through UK airports over the upcoming half term, the Department for Transport (DfT) has today (19 October 2023) refreshed the newly named Air passenger travel guide, making it even easier for passengers to know their rights and responsibilities when they travel.

Formerly known as the aviation passenger charter, it details what people can expect from airlines, travel agents, tour operators and airports, and what to do if things don’t go to plan.

This includes advice on what to do if flights are cancelled or delayed, if baggage goes missing, and the rights of disabled passengers, as well as guidance on how to complain if passengers feel they have been treated unfairly.

Not only does it help passengers in these stressful situations, the travel guide also provides general advice for all aspects of your journey, such as what to expect at passport control, what you can bring through UK customs and how to manage connecting flights.

It also reminds passengers to regularly check the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FDCO) website for the latest security and safety advice before booking travel, as well as what counts as an extraordinary circumstance when compensation isn’t available.

The advice also makes clear that while security checks are changing over the coming months, they should continue to be prepared to remove electronics and small liquids from their bags when travelling by air.

Aviation Minister Baroness Vere said:

Whether going on holiday, travelling for business or visiting loved ones, we all want our journeys to be smooth and without any hiccups, which is why the air passenger travel guide is so important.

Having a one-stop shop of information and advice, which is clear and concise, will help improve the overall travel experience and make sure passengers are getting what they deserve.

As part of a regular review to ensure it remains as useful as possible for passengers, the travel guide will also soon contain British Sign Language and easy-read versions and accessibility information is now in one collated and convenient section, making it easier for disabled passengers to find out how to book assistance at the airport and on the plane.

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive of ABTA – The Travel Association, said:

There are lots of rights in place to protect people who are heading off on holiday, particularly if they are caught up in delays or cancellations. But your rights do vary depending on what you booked – with those on a package holiday enjoying greater protection.

The air passenger travel guide gives a good outline of what travellers can expect and ABTA is also on hand to guide our members’ customers and offer additional cover through the ABTA code of conduct.

DfT has recently committed to strengthen the powers of the Civil Aviation Authority and mandate alternative dispute resolutions that make it easier for consumers to escalate complaints.

To encourage airlines and operators to promote the travel guide, Aviation Minister Baroness Vere has written to 30 partners in the aviation industry to encourage the use of the guide on individual booking websites – so from the moment they book, passengers have the information they need for their whole journey – without the need to go searching.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 19 October 2023.

New funding will create new jobs and provide crucial infrastructure to help the haulage sector decarbonise.

More zero emission trucks are set to drive on UK roads thanks to a £200 million boost to decarbonise freight vehicles, drive innovation and create new jobs as part of a week of government action to support the sector.

With heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) alone contributing 20% to all transport emissions across the UK, the £200 million in government funding announced today (19 October 2023) will be invested across 4 innovative green projects to roll out up to 370 zero emission HGVs and help set road freight on the path towards net zero, driving innovation and creating new jobs.

Delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, the £200 million government investment from the zero emission HGV and infrastructure demonstrator programme will also deliver around 57 refuelling and electric charging sites, providing the crucial infrastructure to help the haulage sector decarbonise.

Roads Minister, Richard Holden, visited Voltempo in Birmingham yesterday – one of the recipients of the £200 million – whose eFREIGHT 2030 project is set to create up to 200 new jobs by 2030 and provide Birmingham with one of the UK’s first electric vehicle charging hubs dedicated to HGVs.

The funding will help popular grocery companies such as Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer lower their transport emissions while protecting them from rising delivery costs associated with changing petrol and diesel prices. This could help prevent price hikes across supermarkets, allowing people to save money on food and groceries to help with the cost of living.

This funding comes as part of the government’s commitment to make the right long-term decisions for a brighter future. Decarbonising the freight sector is a key part of building a sustainable future for the industry and achieving our net zero commitments in a fair and pragmatic way that lowers costs, creates jobs and grows the economy.

Further to Voltempo, the other projects that will receive a share of the £200 million boost are Project Electric Freightway by GRIDSERVE, Project Zero Emission North (ZEN) Freight and Hydrogen Aggregated Logistics (HyHAUL) by Protium.

Roads Minister, Richard Holden, said:

Freight and logistics are the beating heart of our economy and it is only right that we celebrate the sector so that it gets the recognition and support it deserves.

From boosting zero emission tech across freight to attracting the future generation of talent to the industry, we are working hard to drive innovation, create jobs and grow the economy by building a brighter, more innovative future for one of our most crucial industries.

Decarbonisation Minister, Jesse Norman, said:

The UK is at the forefront of the global transition to net zero and today marks another important milestone to decarbonise freight, one of the economy’s most vital industries.

That’s why I’m pleased to reveal that we’re investing £200 million to roll out 370 zero emission trucks, and a further £2.4 million to pioneer green tech through the Freight Innovation Fund, as we work closely with the sector to create new jobs, grow the economy and reach net zero by 2050.

The measures come during a week of action from the government, including ministers visiting multiple freight stakeholders, to understand how the sector can continue to drive innovation and play a crucial role in creating new jobs, growing the economy and helping the UK get closer to net zero.

Richard Smith, Managing Director of the Road Haulage Association, said:

We strongly welcome today’s announcement from the government on the zero emission HGV and infrastructure demonstrator programme.

The £200 million commitment ministers are putting into this demonstrator significantly helps to de-risk the transition to net zero. The real-world demonstrators will answer many of the practical questions operators have and, in turn, give our members the confidence to invest in the zero emission lorries needed to drive down carbon emissions from our sector.

This week has also seen the publication of the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate. This sets out the percentage of new zero emission cars and vans that manufacturers will be required to produce each year up to 2030 as part of a new pragmatic and realistic pathway to 100% zero emission vehicle sales from 2035.

Indro Mukerjee, CEO of Innovate UK, said:

As the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK is committed to supporting innovative UK businesses working to decarbonise the UK’s road freight industry.

Together with the Department for Transport (DfT), the £200 million in government funding will develop world-leading battery and hydrogen trucks and demonstrate, at a large scale, creating greener jobs and boosting our net zero economy.

To further drive innovation in freight and logistics, an additional £2.4 million has also been unlocked through the second round of the Freight Innovation Fund (FIF). As part of the fund, the FIF Accelerator – open for applications from today – will help up to 10 small and medium enterprises develop new ways to make freight greener, more efficient and more resilient.

The £7 million, 3-year FIF aims to scale up and roll out innovative technology across the industry to decarbonise freight. It is at the heart of the Future of Freight Plan, the first-ever cross-modal and cross-government vision to help the industry improve planning, boost innovation in data and technology and facilitate the transition to net zero.

The first round of the FIF supported a series of groundbreaking projects, from using drones to deliver mail and services to the Orkney Islands, implementing AI and data to reduce costs, to deploying zero-emission technology to track and move freight across London.

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

Freight is a crucial sector for the UK and contributes around £127 billion to the economy, but it is not without its challenges. Reducing the sector’s carbon footprint, cutting journey times and easing traffic congestion are key areas of focus, alongside the development of efficient and better-connected logistics hubs.

We are proud to be continuing our work with DfT as we open applications for the second cohort of the FIF accelerator programme. The companies chosen will benefit from access to funding and expert support to develop their technologies and innovations that promise to make the freight sector grow, become greener and work smarter.

Freight Week will also see the launch of 2 calls for evidence to continue exploring new ways for the freight industry to decarbonise and become more efficient.

The first is the call for evidence to inform and support the Development of the zero emission HGV and coach infrastructure strategy, which is due to be published in 2024. This will ensure the delivery of the infrastructure required to meet the 2035 and 2040 phase-out dates for non-zero emission HGVs.

The second is the call for evidence on Volumetric concrete mixers (VCMs), which will consider whether a temporary weight allowance should remain, be removed or amended for the vehicles beyond the current deadline of 2028. It will consider the best options to reduce waste, limit costs and ensure fair competition while taking into account how to continue ensuring road safety.

With DfT providing approximately £20 million per year in freight revenue grants, the government will also consider how to boost freight across a variety of modes.

The Mode Shift Revenue Support and Waterborne Freight Grant will be reviewed to explore how to continue helping the sector decarbonise by shifting freight from road to rail or water through the 2 schemes.

October also marks the start of Year 2 of Generation Logistics, backed by £645,000 in government funding across 2 years, which will be led by CILT and Logistics UK.

Following a successful first year, Generation Logistics will now focus on raising awareness of the logistics sector and its career opportunities, specifically among young people in schools and colleges, in an effort to boost recruitment and retention of a more skilled and diverse workforce.

Kate Jennings, Director of Policy at Logistics UK, said:

Logistics underpins every sector of the UK economy and it is positive to see its importance being championed during Freight Week.

As an industry committed to decarbonising, we welcome the investment through the FIF, as well as the outcome of the zero emission HGV and infrastructure demonstrator programme.

Freight Week follows the decision to extend the fuel duty cut to March 2024 and the 33 unprecedented actions from DfT to support the haulage sector. These include up to £100 million in joint government and industry funding to improve roadside facilities for lorry drivers, and £34 million to create up to 11,000 skill bootcamps and increase the capacity for HGV driver tests by 90% compared to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.

Michael Boxwell, Project Director of eFREIGHT 2030, said:

eFREIGHT 2030 sets us on a journey to net zero within the heavy road freight industry. DfT support kick-starts the transformation, enabling us to create the charging infrastructure and bring in electric HGVs simultaneously.

By early 2026, we will have 11 fleets deploying electric HGVs and a nationwide HGV charging network using British-built chargers. Each charge hub will provide at least 6 charge bays and 1,000kW charging. This demonstration programme combined with world-class infrastructure will give fleet operators confidence they can deploy electric HGVs at scale.

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

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 4 October 2023.

Plan to provide faster journey times across the UK includes bringing parts of North Wales within an hour of Manchester through upgrade of the North Wales Main Line.

A total of £36 billion in savings from HS2 will be reinvested in hundreds of transport projects across the country.

Today (4 October 2023), we have announced the Network North plan, which will still see HS2 delivered between Birmingham and Euston in central London.

But every penny that would have been spent extending the route will instead be redirected into local transport projects to drive economic growth and provide jobs.

Network North will deliver greater connectivity across the country with faster journey times, increased capacity and more frequent, reliable services, and connections will also be strengthened across the UK.

An unprecedented £1 billion investment will bring parts of North Wales within an hour of Manchester through a major upgrade of the North Wales Main Line, including electrification.

It will mean journeys will become more punctual and reliable on the 105-mile route between Crewe, Liverpool, Warrington, Wrexham and Holyhead, where ferry services run to Dublin.

The funding comes alongside £12 billion set aside for Northern Powerhouse Rail, allowing delivery of high-speed links between Manchester and Liverpool as previously planned.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 2 October 2023.

100,000 homes and businesses in rural parts of the UK will be further supported to access improved broadband connections.

100,000 homes and businesses in the most remote and rural parts of the UK will be further supported to access substantially improved broadband connections, under plans outlined by the Secretary of State for Rural Affairs Thérèse Coffey today (Monday 2 October).

The government is committed to ensuring rural communities have access to reliable gigabit-capable broadband connection across the UK, with a target of reaching 85% of premises by 2025 and to reach as close to 100 per cent as soon as possible after.

However, a small minority of premises in rural and remote areas of the UK – known as ‘Very Hard to Reach Premises’ – are unlikely to benefit directly from the substantial activity across the telecoms industry to deliver gigabit-capable broadband services. This can be caused by their isolated location, low population density or limited existing telecoms infrastructure – all of which can make them challenging to connect.

Consultations published today outline plans to review and update the broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) which already gives homeowners and businesses the legal right to request an affordable, decent broadband connection, and to develop and assess future policy to improve broadband connectivity for Very Hard to Reach Premises.

Alongside the measures to improve rural connectivity, the Secretary of State set out the government’s plans to level up rural communities by unlocking new homes in rural areas and investing in new technology to improve local transport links.

The ‘Future of Transport: Helping local authorities to unlock the benefits of technology and innovation in rural transport’ will support local authorities, transport planners, bus operators and transport companies explore how emerging technologies could be deployed in non-urban areas.

Secretary of State for Rural Affairs Thérèse Coffey said:

“Our countryside, home to millions of people, is rich in potential and we want to make sure that everyone can develop their skills and reach the opportunities for success.

“So whether through improved connectivity, housing or transport I’m championing rural communities as we seek to grow our economy – so that every part of our country gets the support it needs to thrive.”

Secretary of State for Rural Affairs Thérèse Coffey announced:

• A consultation on reviewing and updating the Broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) which already gives homeowners and businesses the legal right to request an affordable, decent broadband connection.
• A consultation on further proposals to improve broadband provision for Very Hard to Reach Premises, which are unlikely to receive a gigabit-capable connection via either a commercial or government funded intervention. This will ensure communities with the most limited connectivity experience a step-change in their digital connectivity as soon as possible, fuelling the economy and supporting jobs growth for decades to come.
• A statement from Homes England setting out its work to support rural communities and families by enabling the delivery of more good quality, affordable homes. The statement includes case studies of successful rural housing schemes currently operating within Cornwall and the Yorkshire Dales.
• The publication of ‘Future of Transport: Helping local authorities to unlock the benefits of technology and innovation in rural transport’ to help rural local authorities, their communities and other stakeholders to harness transport innovation, helping to improve access to services, tackle isolation and increase access to jobs in rural and remote areas.

The announcements build on the Unleashing Rural Opportunity paper published in June, which outlines how government will deliver the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy, creating better paid jobs and opportunity across the country.

Defra also continues its rural proofing work whereby all government policy is examined to ensure it is delivering for rural communities. The next rural proofing report will be published later this year.

This follows a decade of action that has boosted rural connectivity and opportunity, from our flagship Project Gigabit programme that has already helped to deliver high-speed, reliable and future-proof broadband to more than 75 per cent of the nation, to improving access to doctors in underserved areas, fixing millions of potholes and resurfacing thousands of miles of road on which our rural communities rely.

Further information

• This a broad range of steps the government is taking to boost rural communities on housing, transport, digital connectivity and jobs as set out in Unleashing Rural Opportunity.
• Rural areas already contribute over 15% to England’s economy, which amounts to over £270 billion of our national GDP, but the programme seeks to unlock further growth.
• This builds on significant government action since 2010 to support rural communities including in March it announced the grant awards of the Rural England Prosperity Fund, a £110 million rural top-up to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to support levelling up across the UK. It will support initiatives such as farm diversification, projects to boost tourism, and community infrastructure projects such as electric vehicle charging stations.
• Huge improvements have also been made over the last decade to support connectivity in rural areas. Over 75% of UK premises can now access gigabit-capable broadband, [up from 6% at the beginning of 2019], and over 730,000 premises have already been upgraded in hard-to-reach rural areas as part of our £5 billion Project Gigabit investment.
• Investing, jointly with industry, £1 billion in the Shared Rural Network to improve 4G mobile coverage throughout the UK to reach 95% geographic coverage by the end of 2025.
• Help for rural low-income households to move to cheaper heating. Up to £378 million is being made available in grants, ring-fenced for rural areas, to fund energy efficiency and clean heating upgrades for low-income households living off the gas grid in England.

On the Boiler Upgrade Scheme:

• Our Boiler Upgrade Scheme is supporting families across the country with costs, with over £81 million in vouchers issued in the first year. The scheme recently received a 50% increase in funding from £5,000 to £7,500 – making it one of the most generous support schemes of its kind in Europe.
• The Prime Minister recently set out proposals to make it easier and cheaper for households to install heat pumps. We remain fully focused on meeting our aim of 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028.
• While most off-grid properties will ultimately switch to heat pumps, not all buildings are suitable for one – instead, these properties will need a range of technologies and approaches to help decarbonise their heating and reach our net zero goals. We are currently looking into whether these could include high temperature heat pumps, hybrid heat pumps, solid biomass, and renewable liquid fuels, like HVO – and we will publish our recommendations on this in due course.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 2 October 2023.

New 30-point plan to support people’s freedom to use their cars and curb over-zealous enforcement measures.

Today (2 October 2023), the Transport Secretary announced a new 30-point plan to support people’s freedom to use their cars and curb over-zealous enforcement measures.

Drivers will benefit from smoother, easier journeys thanks to the government’s new plan for drivers, including £70 million to keep traffic flowing and measures to speed up the rollout of electric vehicle charging.

• The plan for drivers

The plan includes measures that could help councils increase spending on fixing potholes and road repairs by more than £100 million over 10 years, fining roadworks which overrun, new technology to simplify parking payment and updating 20mph zone guidance for England to prevent inappropriate blanket use

The government has also today committed to exploring measures to speed up the installation of chargepoints for electric vehicles and extending grants to schools to install chargepoints.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

We’re backing drivers and our new long-term plan will improve journeys for millions across the country, whether they’re commuting to work or college, parking up for a day trip, or charging their electric car.

Our plan for drivers will support thousands of skilled jobs and help grow the economy, sitting alongside our continued record investment in public transport and active travel – ensuring people have the freedom to travel how they want.

To help ease congestion, £70 million will be provided to councils this financial year in 3 different schemes to invest in improving traffic lights and signals, including AI tech to optimise traffic flow in city centres.

Journeys will also be smoother and quicker with the digitisation of traffic regulation orders, which will pave the way for autonomous vehicles and make life easier for today’s motorists by ensuring satnavs have the most up-to-date information on the location of parking spaces, road closures and speed limits.

These measures fulfil the government’s commitment to support families and grow the economy by making driving easier for the 50 million car licence holders in the UK. It will also help people make the switch to electric vehicles as the country continues its proportionate, balanced journey to net zero.

The measures come on top of extending the temporary fuel duty cut for another year in March 2023 to save drivers a total of around £5 billion over the past 2 years.

The full plan for drivers will make journeys smoother by:

• strengthening guidance to make sure bus lanes operate only when buses are running
• guiding local authorities on allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes and holding a consultation about whether motorcycle access should be standard
• permitting red flashing lights for breakdown vehicles, helping to protect recovery drivers by making them more visible at the roadside
• supporting councils to introduce more lane rental schemes, which reduce roadworks by incentivising utilities to avoid the busiest roads at the busiest times
• consulting on requiring local authorities with lane rental schemes to use at least 50% of any surplus on pothole repairs or resurfacing
• consulting on extending fines for overrunning street works at weekends and increasing fixed penalty notices
• rolling out the Live Labs 2 programme to explore new, low-carbon and high-tech ways of managing local highway networks, supporting the transition to net zero carbon local roads and infrastructure
• developing a New Road Condition Data Standard to provide local authorities with access to new technologies enabling them more easily to identify and deal with road defects like potholes
• £30 million fund to upgrade traffic signal systems, replacing unreliable and obsolete equipment to improve reliability
• £20 million ‘Green Light Fund’ to tune up traffic signals to better reflect current traffic conditions and get traffic flowing
• £20 million to deploy advanced technology for traffic signals, making use of machine learning and AI to optimise traffic flow and balance traffic across city centres

We’re also stopping unfair enforcement by:

• issuing 20mph zone guidance for England to help prevent inappropriate blanket use.
• consulting on measures including the removal of local authorities’ access to DVLA data to enforce such schemes by camera
• focusing on the importance of local support and consider as part of the LTN review how to address existing LTNs that have not secured local consent
• strengthening government and sector-led guidance on enforcement of moving traffic offences such as entering yellow box junctions, to ensure consistency and stop drivers from being penalised unfairly
• launching a call for evidence on options to restrict local authorities’ ability to generate surpluses from traffic offences and over-zealous use of traffic enforcement powers

We’re making parking easier by:

• delivering the new National Parking Platform by autumn 2024, ending the need to use multiple parking apps
• consulting on revising guidance about the public’s right to challenge local authority parking policies
• introducing digitised traffic regulation orders to help easily identify where it is legal to park anywhere in the country

We’re tackling inconsiderate driving by:

• consulting on removing the right of uninsured drivers to claim compensation for property damage
• launching a communications campaign and enforcement to tackle lane hogs and other inconsiderate driving on the motorway
• allowing local councils to roll out noise cameras to target unacceptable vehicle modifications
• clamping down on roadside littering, extending the trial on camera enforcement across the strategic road network

We’re supporting the transition to zero emission driving by:

• reviewing grid connections process for EV chargepoints, with the aim to accelerate it
• consulting on measures to speed up the approvals process for installation of chargepoints
• providing dedicated, targeted support for schools to install chargepoints, using existing grants
• widening eligibility of EV chargepoint grants to include cross-pavement solutions to make EV ownership a more practical option for those without off-street parking
• providing guidance on the use of safe cross-pavement solutions
• consulting on the expansion of permitted development rights, making private chargepoint installation cheaper and easier
• working with industry to myth-bust concerns about EVs

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 28 September 2023.

80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain set to be zero emission by 2030, increasing to 100% by 2035.

The government has today (28 September 2023) set out the percentage of new zero emission cars manufacturers will be required to produce each year up to 2030, following the Prime Minister’s proportionate and pragmatic decision to delay the ban on new diesel and petrol cars from 2030 to 2035.

The path will support manufacturers and families in making the switch to electric, providing flexibility while also helping grow the economy.

The zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate unveiled today means the country will have the most ambitious regulatory framework for the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) in the world. This requires 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain to be zero emission by 2030, increasing to 100% by 2035. The 2035 end of sale date puts the UK in line with other major global economies, including France, Germany, Sweden and Canada.

The move provides certainty for manufacturers and will help families make the switch to electric by providing more time for the second-hand EV market to grow and charging to roll out more widely across the country. The plans provide investors with confidence to invest in charging infrastructure – with 43% more public chargepoints this year than last, putting the country well on track for the government’s target of 300,000 chargepoints by 2030.

The mandate sets minimum annual targets, starting with a requirement for 22% of new cars sold in 2024 to be zero emission, as originally proposed. This will rise each year up to 100% by 2035, although some manufacturers already plan to reach 100% sooner. The UK’s ambition has already triggered investments in gigafactories and EV manufacturing, with over £6 billion in private sector chargepoint funding also ready to be unleashed. Today the government is confirming the trajectory to 2030.

The country is making strong progress on its world-leading ambition to phase out new fossil fuel vehicles, backed by more than £2 billion in government investment. Latest industry figures show 20% of new cars sold in August were zero emission, and there are now 48,100 public chargepoints, in addition to chargepoints installed in homes where most charging takes place.

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said:

The path to zero emission vehicles announced today makes sure the route to get there is proportionate, pragmatic and realistic for families.

Our mandate provides certainty for manufacturers, benefits drivers by providing more options and helps grow the economy by creating skilled jobs.

We are also making it easier than ever to own an electric vehicle, from reaching record levels of chargepoints to providing tax relief for EV owners.

The government has also introduced several schemes to lower the upfront and running costs of owning an EV. This includes a plug-in van grant of up to £2,500 for small vans and £5,000 for large vans until at least 2025 and £350 off the cost of homeplace chargepoints for people living in flats. This is in addition to EVs being cheaper to run than petrol and diesel cars, with research showing that electric cars are around £150 cheaper to maintain a year.

Jakob Pfaudler, AA CEO, said:

Our customers want to see both government action and realism in the move to electric vehicles as part of an ambitious drive to net zero. This means having certainty and a combination of the right information, infrastructure and incentives available to them.

Today’s announcement brings welcome clarity to help support investment in ZEVs and associated technologies and industries. Over time, and as part of a wider set of policies, it will help the UK’s motorists manage the transition and the AA will be working to give confidence to drivers during this period.

The used car market also continues to grow, providing more affordable options for drivers. In the first quarter of 2023, compared with the same period in 2022, used battery electric vehicle sales rose by 57%.

The measures give the wide range of manufacturers flexibility through a trading scheme, enabling them to bank compliance in years when they exceed annual targets for use in future years or trade them with other manufacturers that have fallen short. In the first year, car manufacturers can borrow for up to 75% of their annual target, falling to 25% in 2026, to support them in the early stages.

The ZEV mandate is a devolved policy and has been developed with the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure.

Recent investment by major manufacturers has shown the UK is a world-leading country for the automotive sector. BMW has announced its intention to invest over £600 million in its UK factories, including a multimillion-pound investment to transform its Oxford plant, securing 4,000 high-quality jobs and strengthening the electric vehicle supply chain. This followed other major investments, including £4 billion from Tata to build a new gigafactory in the UK, and £1 billion from Nissan and AESC to create an EV manufacturing hub in Sunderland.

Mike Hawes, Chief Executive, The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said:

The automotive industry is investing billions in decarbonisation and recognises the importance of the zero emission vehicle mandate as the single most important measure to deliver net zero.

We welcome the clarity the mandate’s publication provides for the next 6 years and the flexibilities it contains to support pragmatic, equitable delivery across this diverse sector. Manufacturers offer a vast range of zero emission vehicles, but demand must also match supply – that means making ZEVs affordable by incentivising drivers to make the switch now and delivering the infrastructure to meet consumer expectations.

The government is working at pace alongside private investment to grow charging infrastructure for EV drivers, supporting record installment rates this past month. Applications also recently opened for the first round of the government’s £381 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, which will support the installation of tens of thousands of new chargers across the country, increasing EV infrastructure in every area and ensuring the UK’s charging network can support the increasing number of EV drivers and those considering the switch.

This is on top of significant private investments, with the UK now home to Europe’s largest electric vehicle charging site in Birmingham and over £6 billion committed by ChargeUK members with an ambition to double the UK’s charging network by the end of this year. A recent report from the National Infrastructure Commission points out, if chargepoint deployment grows at around 30% per year the 300,000 expectation will be met.

With transport providing the largest share of the UK’s carbon emissions, the switch to zero emission cars and vans will be the single biggest carbon saving measure in the UK’s journey to net zero.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 28 September 2023.

Funding will protect essential bus services and allow local authorities to make the improvements that would most benefit their communities.

Millions of people across England will benefit from lower fares, improved reliability and better bus services, as the government delivers a further £80 million to support buses into 2025.

Today (28 September 2023), Roads Minister Richard Holden confirmed allocations for 64 local authorities across England from the £80 million investment in the bus service improvement plan+ (BSIP+) for 2024 to 2025.

Local authorities can use the funding to improve local buses in several ways, such as by bringing in new services or routes, extending timetables through new morning or evening buses or making tickets cheaper through reduced fares for elderly or young people, depending on what will be most valuable in their local area.

The investment could also be used to protect hundreds of bus services with low passenger numbers so that people who rely on them for essential services can continue to access their local bus.

Roads Minister Richard Holden said:

Buses are the most popular form of public transport and millions of people across the country from the Tees Valley to Torbay rely on their local service to get to work, attend medical appointments and see loved ones.

We are providing a further £80 million to help local authorities improve and protect essential services, delivering for local communities across the country by enhancing transport connections, supporting passengers and growing the economy.

The funding follows the first £80 million BSIP+ investment for 2023 to 2024, and the previous £1 billion from the first BSIP funding announced in 2022.

It comes on top of a further £140 million announced in May from the extension of the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), taking the total to continue supporting and protecting bus services across England to £300 million into 2025.

To help people with the cost of living and save on everyday travel costs, the government also invested £200 million to extend the bus fare cap, with single bus tickets capped at £2 outside London until the end of October 2023 and then at £2.50 until 30 November 2024.

The £2 fare cap has cut travel costs, particularly in rural areas, where buses are crucial for so many people to get around, with the average fare dropping by 10.8% in rural and non-metropolitan parts of England.

The measures take total government support to protect and improve bus services while keeping fares low to £3.5 billion since 2020.

While it is the responsibility of bus operators and local transport authorities to ensure an adequate provision of bus routes, the government continues to work closely with the sector to support local areas in dealing with changing travel patterns while managing pressures on the taxpayer.

Janette Bell, Managing Director of First Bus, said:

We welcome the certainty provided by today’s confirmation of the next tranche of local authority funding allocations. We look forward to working together with our local authority partners to deliver the best services possible for our customers.

At First Bus, we are driven by a passion to get more people using the bus and we welcome any funding that makes taking the bus an easier travel choice.

Today also marks the publication of the £2 Bus Fare Cap Second Interim Evaluation Report, analysing the initial impact of the cap in January and February 2023, the first 2 months of the measure.

According to the report, the “Get Around for £2” scheme has so far encouraged people to get back on the bus, with almost half of respondents saying the fare cap is the main reason they are using the bus more. Over 50 million single bus tickets were sold in England over January and February 2023, two-thirds of which were capped.

Silviya Barrett, from Campaign for Better Transport, said:

We’re pleased the £2 bus fare cap we campaigned for has been a success, reducing fares and boosting passenger numbers.

The additional funds for local authorities announced today are also welcome and we hope that this is just the start of ongoing investment in bus networks across the country.

In addition to the £3.5 billion to support buses since 2020, the government has provided £5.7 billion to 8 mayoral combined authorities in England to support integrated, cross-modal transport networks over the next 5 years through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), including supporting bus infrastructure.

The Department for Transport has also recently confirmed £129 million to roll out hundreds more zero emission buses, with the first £25 million prioritised specifically for rural communities. This brings total government investment in new zero-emission buses to almost £500 million.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 22 September 2023.

The £2 fare cap has cut travel costs, especially in rural areas, where buses are vital for people to get around.

Millions of people in England have enjoyed cheaper bus travel this year thanks to the government’s unprecedented actions to lower bus fares and protect services.

Yesterday (21 September 2023), new statistics from the Department of Transport (DfT) showed the overall price of bus fares in England, outside London, has dropped by 7.4% between June 2022 and June 2023, mainly due to the extension of the Get Around for £2 scheme.

The £2 fare cap has cut travel costs, particularly in rural areas, where buses are crucial for so many people to get around, with the average fare dropping by 10.8% in rural and non-metropolitan parts of England.

When adjusted for inflation, local bus fares in England, outside of London, for April to June 2023 were comparable to those seen in 2007.

Roads Minister Richard Holden said:

Our ‘Get Around for £2’ scheme has slashed overall bus fares for millions across England, as we continue to help people save money on travel, boost transport connections and grow the economy.

Whether you want to visit loved ones, head to work or attend a medical appointment, taking the bus continues to be a vital link for people to get around.

Starting in January 2023 and originally scheduled to end on 31 March 2023, the Get Around for £2 scheme has been extended until 31 October this year and will then run at £2.50 until the end of November 2024 thanks to £200 million in government investment.

The £2 bus fare cap comes alongside the recently announced £300 million to prevent cuts to bus routes and improve the quality of services into 2025. This takes total government spending to keep fares low and support buses to £3.5 billion since 2020.

DfT has also recently confirmed £129 million to roll out hundreds more zero emission buses, with the first £25 million prioritised specifically for rural communities. This brings total government investment in new zero-emission buses to almost £500 million.

In June 2023, the government announced a broad range of steps being taken to boost rural communities on housing, transport, digital connectivity and jobs.

The Unleashing rural opportunity plan outlines how government will deliver the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy and create better-paid jobs and opportunities right across the country. Rural areas already contribute 15% to England’s economy, which amounts to over £250 billion of our national GDP, but the programme seeks to unlock further growth.

This also builds on rural proofing work by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), whereby all government policy is examined to ensure it is delivering for rural communities.

Lord Benyon, Minister for Rural Affairs, said:

We are putting the needs of people and businesses in rural areas at the heart of policy-making. Bus services are a vital part of this, as a lifeline for communities and in supporting local businesses in our rural economy.

By easing the cost of transport in some of our most remote areas, we can help bring people together and build on the wider work we are doing to help rural communities thrive.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 19 September 2023.

New long-term rail contracts awarded to Avanti West Coast and Cross Country.

The Department for Transport has today (19 September 2023) awarded Avanti West Coast a long-term contract which will enable them to deliver improved services for passengers, after dramatically reducing cancellations to as low as 1.1% over the past year.

A long-term contract will allow the operator to plan ahead, giving them the certainty they need to prepare advance timetables, roll out new train fleets and continue their work to improve services – benefitting passengers in both the short and long term.

This comes after the department placed Avanti West Coast on 2 consecutive short-term, 6-month contracts and ordered them to develop a recovery plan aimed at addressing poor performance on vital routes – including between Manchester, Birmingham and London – which were brought on by a shortage of available drivers.

Alongside the recovery plan which prioritised training new drivers, reducing reliance on rest day working and getting tickets on sale earlier, a recovery timetable was introduced which has seen services increase from 180 trains per day to 264 on weekdays – the highest level in over 2 years.

By the end of the first 6-month contract in March, Avanti had already made significant progress towards its recovery, with 40% more services being run and cancellations within Avanti’s control falling to 4.2%. Those arrangements were further extended to ensure these improvements would continue and passengers would feel confident in using the services again.

Since then, Avanti West Coast’s services have seen further improvements:

• cancellations have consistently been below 3% since March 2023, and as low as 1.1% in July 2023, down from 13% in January 2023
• over 90% of trains now arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled time, improved from 75% in December 2022
• over 100 additional drivers have been trained and brought on since April 2022
• improvements to passenger facilities on trains including better seats, lighting and charging points
• the introduction of Travel Companion, a WhatsApp channel which passengers with accessibility needs can use to get real-time assistance and information on their journeys, allowing for a more seamless passenger experience for everyone

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

The routes Avanti West Coast operate provide vital connections, and passengers must feel confident that they can rely on the services to get them where they need to be at the right time.

Over the past year, short-term contracts were necessary to rebuild the timetable and reduce cancellations. Now Avanti are back on track, providing long-term certainty for both the operator and passengers will best ensure that improvements continue.

As well as working directly with the operator and local stakeholders on the recovery plan over the past year, the government continues to support the industry – including through setting a mandate – as it engages with unions to ensure we can take forward much-needed reform, including introducing a reliable 7 day a week service to secure the future of our railways. The transformation of Avanti’s performance over the past year demonstrates how, through working closely with government, setting out clear set goals and being incentivised to succeed, the private sector can deliver on our railways.

Starting on 15 October 2023, Avanti West Coast’s new National Rail Contract will have a core term of 3 years and a maximum possible term of 9 years. After 3 years, the Transport Secretary can terminate the contract at any point with 3 months’ notice.

The department will stay in close contact with the operator and local stakeholders to monitor Avanti’s performance as it continues its progress to a sustained recovery.

Meanwhile, the department has also today awarded Cross Country a new National Rail Contract, with a core term of 4 years and a maximum possible term of 8 years.

The contract will also begin on 15 October and includes additions to help improve services, such as the replacement of the now-retired High Speed Trains with more modern equivalents, refurbishment of existing Cross Country train fleets, and the introduction of direct daily services between Cardiff and Yorkshire, the North East and Edinburgh from December 2024.