Future of freight

DRONES will be used to deliver packages on remote Scottish islands as part of nine new in‐novative freight projects which have been awarded £1.2m in UK government funding.

The funding is one part of the govern‐ment’s Future of Freight Plan launched last year, setting a strategy to work closely with in‐dustry to deliver a world‐class freight system.

The system is hoped to support economic growth and build on the measures already taken to tackle the global HGV driver short‐age.

UK Roads Minister, Richard Holden, said: “Whether it’s drones for deliveries on remote islands or zero emission buggies, we want to invest in future technology that could trans‐form how we move goods around the coun‐try while reducing emissions and traffic and creating skilled jobs.

“The Freight Innovation Fund gives innova‐tors the opportunity to test their ideas and help our freight industry become greener and more efficient unlocking better connectivity and boosting growth across the country,” confirmed the Roads Minister.

The Plan is a three‐year £7 million pro‐gramme designed to make delivering freight across the UK more efficient and cleaner.

The news comes due to financial pressures and lack of confidence felt by drivers the UK government confirmed on Saturday, April 15, delivering on the Prime Minister’s summer campaign pledge.

New smart motorways ‐including the 11 already paused from the second Road Investment Strategy (2020 to 2025) and the three earmarked for con ‐struction during the third Road Investment Strategy (2025 to 2030) ‐ will be re‐moved from government road‐building plans, given financial pressures and in recognition of the current lack of public confidence felt by drivers.

Initial estimations sug ‐gest constructing future smart motorway schemes would have cost more than

£1 billion and cancelling these schemes will allow more time to track public confidence in smart motor‐ways over a longer period.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “All drivers de‐serve to have confidence in the roads they use to get around the country.

“Many people across the country rely on driving to get to work, take their chil‐dren to school and go about their daily lives and I want them to be able to do so with full confidence that the roads they drive on are safe.”