THE Scottish Government is investing a further £1 million in its SME fleet analysis scheme in a bid to help more businesses plan their transition to zero-emission heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).
The SME Fleet Analysis Support fund, part of the Heavy Goods Vehicle Market Readiness Fund, offers up to £15,000 per fleet to provide ‘practical, business-focused’ insight for SMEs to assess their fleets, identify suitable zero-emission technologies, and plan future investment with confidence.
A further £900,000 is being made available through the Zero Emission Heavy Duty Vehicle Skills Challenge Fund, for projects that demonstrate best practice or new approaches to skills development, raising awareness of career paths, and improving access to skills for the decarbonisation of heavy duty vehicles.
Transport secretary Stephen Flynn said, “Scotland’s haulage sector is vital to our economy, keeping goods moving and supporting businesses in every community. We have seen strong interest from operators who want practical support to plan their transition, and I’m pleased to commit £1 million to build on that demand as we move into the next phase of the SME Fleet Analysis Support fund.
“Reducing emissions from HGVs is essential to delivering our Climate Change Plan, but that cannot be done without the required skills which is why we are investing a further £900,000 in the next phase of the Skills Challenge Fund. This funding will help the industry take informed, realistic steps towards zero-emission fleets, cutting emissions while strengthening productivity and resilience across the sector.”
