This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Road Haulage Modernisation Fund
22/01/2003
A new fund to modernise the road haulage industry in
Scotland was announced today.
The Scottish Road Haulage Modernisation Fund (RHMF) will
offer grants and practical solutions to allow hauliers to
upgrade vehicles, making them more fuel efficient and
environmentally friendly.
The Fund is also designed to improve and increase
training opportunities with a package of three new
programmes to the total value of £5 million.
Young drivers will be encouraged to take part in the
Young Driver Training Scheme, with support of up to £2,500
per person. Drivers already within the industry will be
supported through the development of a new Driver
Development Demonstration Programme, which will help
drivers to maximise savings in fuel and operational
costs.
The RHMF will also allow development of a Modern
Management Programme to be introduced later in the year,
which will help improve management skills within the sector
and lead to increases in business efficiency and
productivity.
The Fund will also tackle environmental issues by
part-funding the CleanUp Scotland campaign which provides
grants to hauliers to retrofit their lorries with new
technology that reduces emissions and cuts pollution.
Deputy Transport Minister Lewis Macdonald said:
"Today's announcement of a Scottish Road Haulage
Modernisation Fund and the three new training schemes it
will fund represent a significant investment in the future
of the road haulage industry in Scotland.
"The Fund demonstrates the Executive's commitment to
support road hauliers by addressing the training issues
that hauliers at all levels currently face, whilst at the
same time underlining our commitment to develop life long
learning opportunities and to tackle environmental
issues.
"From the Young Driver Training Scheme which will
provide high quality training and qualifications for young
people to the Driver Development and Modern Management
Programmes which will show how a little training can lead
to worthwhile savings in fuel and operational costs, these
schemes will make a difference to all road hauliers, and to
the industry as a whole."
Mr Macdonald added:
"These new training initiatives complement the CleanUp
Scotland programme which was launched last November, and
which is part funded by the Scottish RHMF. The programme
aims to reduce pollution by providing grants for hauliers
to fit particulate traps and other emission reducing
technology to their vehicles."
Both the Freight Transport Association (FTA) and the
Road Haulage Association (RHA) have given their full
support to the iniatives launched today.
Phil Flanders, Regional Director of the Road Haulage
Association, said:
"It is pleasing that the Executive recognise the
importance of the haulage industry and this is reflected in
their actions today in announcing a very welcome and
significant investment in the industry."
The Scottish RHMF is the product of extensive and
on-going consultation between the Executive, the Road
Haulage and Distribution Training Council, the RHA and the
FTA to ensure that the needs of the industry in Scotland
are met.
The Young Driver Training Scheme will enable young
drivers to gain high quality training, leading to a
transferable Level 2 Scottish Vocational Qualification, and
a category 'C' LGV licence at age 18 instead of at 21
Detailed proposals of a Road Haulage Modernisation Fund
for England were announced by the Chancellor of the
Exchequer in March 2001.