A RECORD-breaking £9 million drive to get 6,500 clean-fuelled fleet vehicles on the road this year is being launched by the Government-funded Powershift programme - paid for by higher taxes on petrol and diesel fuels. The 270% hike in its annual funding was prompted after the initiative, which provides grants of up to 75% towards the extra cost of purchasing clean-fuelled vehicles, ran out of funds as fleet demand for grants rocketed.

The money comes from a £280 million bonus for transport funded by the 2p per litre increase in fuel duty in last week's Budget. A further £6 million from fuel duty will be ploughed into a new sister initiative to promote retrofitting of catalytic converters in older vehicles and encourage bus and taxi owners to convert or fit particulate traps.

Discussions which could secure Powershift programme funding for the next four years are also taking place. Powershift programme manager Jonathan Murray, who will be promoted to oversee both initiatives, said: 'One of the most important parts of our work will be creating demand around the current refuelling infrastructure, while working to expand the network as much as possible.'