Freight industry must bag share of £500million ultra-low emission funding, insist FTA

Wednesday, July 31, 2013 - 09:00
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TrucksEurope

FUNDING: Freights must get share, claim FTA

Freights must benefit from the £500million government funding for ultra-low emission vehicles, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) have insisted.

The Department for Transport, in their new ‘Road Command Paper – Action for Roads’, are pledging financial support for improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions.

They are currently investing £400million up to 2016 to help the uptake of new vehicles, but the additional £500million will support industry and consumers in the switch.

The government anticipates there is likely to be a need for wide-reaching networks of rapid chargepoints and hydrogen fuelling stations.

Rachael Dillon, Climate Change Policy Manager at the FTA, said: “Investing in alternative fuels and low carbon technologies is extremely costly, so FTA welcomes Government’s commitment of additional funding to help encourage the take up of ultra-low emission vehicles.

“However, too often previous funding has been devoted to cars and vans.

“Freight provides a vital role in delivering the goods for the economy but it is a significant challenge to reduce carbon emissions.

“The sector needs support particularly with the provision of infrastructure for dual fuel HGVs and gas refuelling infrastructure in order to contribute to national carbon reduction targets.”

The FTA said that although they welcome any funding from government, the HGV sector has largely been neglected.

They added that the additional funding provides an opportunity to significantly increase much-needed support for the sector.

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles, who are responsible for the provision of ultra-low emission vehicle funding, should soon publish a strategy on how the funding will be delivered.

FTA said they would like to see the inclusion of more funding options for HGVs within the strategy to ensure that freight can contribute to carbon reduction.

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