With a key focus on inclusivity and accessibility, the UK government’s nearly £2 million funding aims to enhance the transportation landscape and make journeys easier for individuals with disabilities across the country.
The UK government has announced that it is funding 67 transport technology projects with £1.96 million through the Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) Programme. These projects aim to develop innovative solutions for transportation challenges, including personalised navigation apps for disabled passengers and robots for port freight operations.
The funded projects include an augmented reality (AR) app for visually impaired passengers at rail stations, remote-controlled delivery robots, kite-powered tug boats to reduce emissions and drones for package delivery in remote areas. The TRIG programme encourages engineers, academics and innovators to translate visionary research into practical solutions, focusing on critical issues like decarbonisation. By supporting researchers, the government also stimulates economic growth and job creation across the UK.
Jesse Norman, the Technology and Decarbonisation Minister, said: “From making travelling easier for visually impaired passengers to improving rural connectivity, these winning projects have the potential to transform the future of transport. The government wants the UK to be a world leader in the future of transport and, through the TRIG programme, the Department for Transport is supporting innovators and businesses to decarbonise and improve transport, while growing the economy and supporting jobs across the UK.”
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Since its launch in 2014, the TRIG programme has invested over £12 million in nearly 300 projects. It focuses on maritime decarbonisation, the future of freight, local transport decarbonisation, improving the rail passenger experience, and enhancing transport resilience to severe weather and flooding. The government collaborates with Connected Places Catapult to foster early-stage collaboration between innovators, start-ups, universities and policymakers, advancing the UK’s transportation system.
Nicola Yates OBE, Connected Places Catapult’s CEO, said: “By getting funding into innovative start-ups, we are creating jobs of the future and growing vital areas of the economy. Transport Research and Innovation Grants support high-potential innovators to develop their ideas into new products and services. In addition to an injection of funding, companies that join the TRIG cohort benefit from access to experts from Connected Places Catapult to help them on their journey to commercialisation.”
