CleanUp Grants

The damaging effects of pollution on both climate change and public health are no longer obscure scientific theories. They are a grave reality. Widely publicised initiatives such as the Kyoto protocol and more recently, the Government's Energy White Paper, have highlighted how all industries will now have to confront their environmental responsibilities. Research has demonstrated that emissions from motor vehicles are the largest single cause of pollution in the UK. The freight and trucking industry must take immediate steps to tackle the problem, or face punitive mandates and long-term harm to their business.

To improve air quality, two main pollutants must be targeted - fine particles and oxides of nitrogen. Fine particles and oxides of nitrogen are the two main pollutants that are the result of road transport.

Facing this challenge, the TransportEnergy's CleanUp initiative was established with the aim of reducing emissions from the most polluting diesel vehicles. The CleanUp initiative provides a number of incentives for business to clean up their act by offering government grants to either fit emission reduction technologies, or to convert large diesel vehicles to an alternative fuel.

Grants of up to 75% are available to fit emission reduction technology, called particulate traps or oxidation catalysts, or to convert a diesel vehicle to CNG. Fitting particulate traps can make a significant improvement to medium and heavy-duty freight vehicles, by reducing emissions of fine particulates by up to 95%. Such traps can also reduce emissions of both carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons of by 80%.

Another option is to convert vehicles to run on compressed natural gas (CNG). Compared to diesel, CNG offers a significant reduction in the levels of fine particles (98%), oxides of Nitrogen (86%) and carbon dioxide (11%).

However, the benefits of such initiatives are not simply environmental. One of the major business benefits of CNG is that it only costs 40 pence a litre. Furthermore many heavy-duty trucks fitted with emissions reducing technology qualify for a Reduced Pollution Certificate, which can mean a lower level of excise duty is charged. Eco-friendly fleets may also have an advantage over competitors when attracting business, with some public sector fleet purchasers becoming increasingly aware of their environmental responsibilities and seeking compliant partners across the supply chain.