Clean Vehicle Fund announced

Buses are amongst the vehicles to benefit from the new Clean Vehicle Technology Fund announced by Transport Minister, Baroness Kramer. Local authorities and other public bodies will be able to apply for a share of £5 million from the Fund to make improvements to local fleets to reduce pollution. The money is available for vehicles that are used predominantly on local roads with poor air quality. The funding, up to a maximum of £500,000 for any one authority, will allow authorities to fit pollution reducing technology to treat exhaust fumes or converting vehicles to run on cleaner fuels. The scheme builds on the £7.3 million awarded last year across 26 local authorities through the Clean Bus Technology Fund, which helped modify over 500 buses.

Baroness Kramer said, ‘This is our latest step in a major programme of measures to make our air cleaner. We are raising the bar and making sure that the ongoing trend of improving air quality continues. This £5 million will mean less harmful exhaust fumes from buses, and other vehicles, in some of our most polluted urban areas. This funding will also secure jobs and growth in the industries delivering the technology.’