Tyres

  Funding targets greener freight industry

A new funding package designed in part to reduce the environmental impact of the UK haulage industry has been announced. The £67m boost to the Sustainable Distribution Fund will help to increase the use of rail and ferry transport, as well as cutting emissions from road haulage operations where possible.

Among the individual programmes that will benefit from the investment is Freight Best Practice, which will see its annual funding increase from £1.2m to £1.5m. The scheme has proven to be successful to date, helping the industry achieve cost savings of £83m and CO2 reductions of 240,000 tonnes between 2005 and 2006.

“As more freight is transported by rail or water it will bring clear benefits for the economy, the environment and other road users,” said Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick. “We want to help hauliers and van drivers continue to improve their operational efficiency and reduce costs. Freight Best Practice and smarter driving techniques have already helped companies make real savings.”

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