The RHA has welcomed the Department for Transport’s (DfT) announcement of £30m support to help haulage, coach and van operators decarbonise through a grant scheme.
This funding comes from a £30m “Depot Charging Scheme” which is available during this financial year only. The scheme is open to fleets across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. To qualify, businesses must own, lease or order at least 1 battery electric van, HGV and/or coach and provide evidence of this as part of the application.
The RHA is encouraging businesses to avail of the scheme to assist preparations for Net Zero.
Commenting RHA MD, Richard Smith said: “We welcome this support from the Government to help operators invest in their depots, as overcoming the costs of Net Zero remains a significant barrier for our industry.
“Without the ability to charge at depot, we’re not going to see the introduction of electric HGVs, coaches and vans at the pace required. This funding is a welcome start, but much more needs to be done if planned Net Zero targets are to be met.
“We seek urgent clarity on how the full £2.6bn announced by the Government in last month’s Spending Review will be allocated to help businesses decarbonise. We also urgently need to see how hydrogen-powered lorries and coaches can provide the solutions for hard-to-decarbonise operations which electric cannot currently cater for, such as long distance and heavy haulage operations.”
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