LowCVP wins £2.5m funding for emissions-cutting retrofit scheme

Up to £2.5 million Government funding has been awarded to increase the range of vehicle retrofit technologies capable of cutting emissions from larger road vehicles already in use.

The funding will support testing of new technologies for the Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS), which has been developed by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership and is administered by Energy Saving Trust.

Retrofit technologies will help vehicles already in use meet clean air zone and ultra low emission zone requirements.

Andy Eastlake, LowCVP’s managing director, said: “We need a multi-faceted approach to tackling air pollution.

“This initiative is an important step to help clean more of the current fleet, while we wait for the penetration of ULEVs to increase.

“Retrofit is a key element of the overall package and will enable innovative solutions to be brought forward which can make a real difference to air quality in the short and medium term.”

Colin Smith, Energy Saving Trust’s programme manager for freight and clean vehicle retrofit, said: “Tackling air pollution in our towns and cities will benefit everyone, including fleet operators.

“We can’t wait for normal fleet replacement cycles to improve fleet emissions – there is an issue with air quality now.

“One option for reducing emissions is to retrofit existing fleet vehicles.

“However, we need to ensure retrofit systems achieve the required emissions reduction and this means approval tests for which there is an associated cost.

“This fund will help remove this key barrier and get more retrofit systems approved across a wider range of vehicles, enabling more vehicles to be retrofitted, thereby reducing the transport emissions that cause air quality issues in our towns and cities.”

This funding is a part of the Government’s wider plans to improve air quality and tackle climate change.

Local councils can already bid for support from the £220 million Clean Air Fund to help fund retrofitting of vehicles with technologies accredited through the CVRAS.LowCVP’s emissions-cutting retrofit scheme wins £2.5m Government funding.