{"id":33026,"date":"2024-05-02T05:38:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-01T19:38:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=33026"},"modified":"2024-05-02T05:38:02","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T19:38:02","slug":"1-8-million-boost-for-innovation-to-decarbonise-freight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=33026","title":{"rendered":"\u00a31.8 million boost for innovation to decarbonise freight"},"content":{"rendered":"

Minister Guy Opperman is launching the third year of the \u00a37 million\u00a0Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator<\/a>\u00a0to deliver innovative tech across the industry to decarbonise freight and boost the\u00a0UK\u00a0supply chain as part of the Government\u2019s plan to grow the economy.<\/p>\n

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can receive up to \u00a31.8 million in government funding to support the freight sector in deploying cutting-edge\u00a0AI\u00a0technology and automation to improve the way trains, lorries, vans, and ships carry parcels and goods.<\/p>\n

The first 2 years of the fund saw nearly \u00a33 million allocated to several\u00a0SMEs\u00a0which worked with industry-leading companies to make British supply chains cleaner and more efficient, while improving how freight is carried across rail, maritime and road transport.<\/p>\n

Examples of ground-breaking ideas that have become reality thanks to support from the Freight Innovation Fund include Royal Mail working with Skyports to deliver mail by drones across the islands in Orkney. This is the first time ever mail is being delivered by drones in the\u00a0UK, allowing Royal Mail to deliver 24 hours faster than using vans or ferries.<\/p>\n

The Freight Innovation Fund has also supported FedEx in trialling new eCargo bikes to deliver parcels quickly in traffic-heavy city centres, helping decarbonise deliveries.<\/p>\n

Previous funding winners have reported a collective \u00a397 million in commercial investment from the \u00a31.2 million government Year 1 fund, decarbonising supply chains and supporting jobs.<\/p>\n

Roads Minister Guy Opperman said: \u201cThe freight and logistics sectors are part of our economy\u2019s backbone, ensuring supermarket shelves are stocked, hospitals receive crucial medical supplies and important deliveries are made.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why, as part of the government\u2019s plan to grow the economy, the Freight Innovation Fund is supporting businesses to innovate and back skilled UK jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Freight Innovation Fund Year 3 follows\u00a0\u00a3200 million to roll out hundreds of zero-emission trucks and lorries<\/a>\u00a0as well as freight charging infrastructure to help set road freight on the path towards net zero.<\/p>\n

The fund was originally launched in 2022 as part of the government\u2019s\u00a0Future of Freight<\/a>\u00a0plan, the first-ever plan for government and industry to work closely together to deliver a world-class, seamless flow of freight across the\u00a0UK\u2019s roads, railways, seas, skies and canals.<\/p>\n

This fund builds on previous government initiatives designed to support increased research and development in the freight industry. Previous technologies supported in other funds include:<\/p>\n

Hypermile \u2013 introduced an artificial intelligence programme that offers real-time feedback to help lorry drivers save fuel<\/p>\n

Fishbone Solutions \u2013 launched a programme that uses vibrational data from rail freight wagons and artificial intelligence analysis to determine whether the wagons are working correctly<\/p>\n

CGA Simulation \u2013 developed a tool that simulates urban environments to predict the best place where to build new infrastructure and improve logistics<\/p>\n

Connected Places Catapult\u2019s Chief Executive Officer, Erika Lewis said: \u201cThe UK\u2019s freight sector plays a major contribution to our economy, but there are many opportunities worth exploring to improve efficiencies and environmental performance associated with the movement of goods.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am excited to see what new ideas and technologies companies taking part in the Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator come up with, and I encourage SMEs to come forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Delivered by Connected Places Catapult, the Freight Innovation Fund will give\u00a0SMEs\u00a0access to technical and business support from the organisation.<\/p>\n

Other measures to help bolster the\u00a0UK\u2019s haulage and freight sectors include\u00a0\u00a331 million in joint government and industry investment<\/a>\u00a0to improve truckstops and working conditions for lorry drivers by providing more parking spaces, better welfare facilities and safer rest areas.<\/p>\n

Alex Brown, Director at Skyports Drone Services, said: \u201cThe Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator, alongside the work with Royal Mail, was a key proof point we could speak to during our capital raise process to demonstrate the progress we were making with our drone delivery business.<\/p>\n

\u201cImportantly the work with Royal Mail in the Orkney Islands is still ongoing, demonstrating how a catalyst like the Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator can result in lasting products and services.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Minister Guy Opperman is launching the third year of the \u00a37 million\u00a0Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator\u00a0to deliver innovative tech across the industry to decarbonise freight and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":33027,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[7,11],"class_list":["post-33026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rail-news","tag-transport","tag-usa"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33026","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33026"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33026\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/33027"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}