The Government has handed out £90 million in funding for three UK "future transport zones" aimed at bringing together academics and experts, with businesses and local bodies, to investigate the future of smart and green technology.
The zones, which will be located in the West of England Combined Authority, Portsmouth and Southampton, and Derby and Nottingham, will trial new modes of transport for the movement of both people and goods.
The Portsmouth and Southampton project, for example, will test the use of drones for carrying medical supplies from clinics on the Isle of Wight to hospitals on the mainland. This is designed to cut down on the time spent moving supplies by ferry and road, while also speeding up diagnosis.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “We are on the cusp of a transport revolution. Emerging technologies are ripping up the rulebook and changing the way people and goods move forever.
“Our groundbreaking future of transport programme marks the biggest review of transport laws in a generation and will pave the way for exciting new transport technology to be tested, cementing the UK’s position as a world-leading innovator.
“This review will ensure we understand the potential impacts of a wide range of new transport modes such as e-scooters, helping to properly inform any decisions on legalisation. Funding these new zones across the country will also help us safely test innovative ways to get around, creating a greener future transport system for us all.”
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