DfT’s way forward for HGVs not rubbish, says FTA

Thursday 31 August 2017

The government’s announcement of a £20 million feasibility study into the options for creation of next generation HGV fuels from rubbish has been praised by the Freight Transport Association as a positive move towards further reductions in carbon emissions.  

FTA, the leading membership association for logistics businesses, which covers all modes of freight in the UK, said that this kind of project is needed to help the haulage industry lower its carbon emissions.

FTA’s Head of National & Regional Policy, Christopher Snelling, said, “Huge strides have been made on air quality emissions from lorries in the past few years.  HGVs sold since 2014 emit 80% less local air pollutants on the road than their predecessors, but the industry needs something new to achieve similar reductions on greenhouse gases.  Road transport is the main means of delivering goods across the UK with 80% of the UK’s goods moving by road.  Even if we maximise use of rail and water it will remain the dominant mode of freight.  So we have to improve road freight, and “rubbish” initiatives like this may indeed be the way forward.” 

FTA represents all modes of the UK’s freight and logistics sector on behalf of its 16,000 members.  The UK remains a leader in logistics at a global level, ranked in the top ten countries in terms of logistics performance, and the sector contributes 11% of the UK’s non-financial business economy.  In 2016, 2.54 million people were employed in logistics in the UK, approximately 8% of the UK’s workforce.  FTA members operate over 220,000 goods vehicles (half the UK fleet), consign over 90 per cent of the freight moved by rail and 70 per cent of sea and air freight.
 
 
FTA Press Office
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