A new £1.3m government competition to encourage innovative UK transport projects is open for entries.

Organisations and academics can win up to £45,000 to research innovative ideas to improve transport in the UK

The latest round of the Government’s Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) enables organisations and academics to win up to £45,000 to research innovative ideas to improve transport in the UK.

The TRIG scheme, delivered by Connected Places Catapult, supports businesses and academics working on innovative ideas in the early stages of their research. It aims to improve transport across the country and support skilled UK jobs as part of the government’s plan to help grow the economy.

This year’s competition is seeking proposals focused on nation-specific transport solutions – it includes a new category for projects that address specific transport challenges in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland to level up the whole of the UK’s transport system and boost connectivity.

It also explores local transport decarbonisation via innovative ideas that accelerate the decarbonisation of local transport systems, demonstrating an understanding of the needs of local areas and communities, whilst also having the potential to be scaled up across the UK in the future.

There’s also an open call for wider solutions that have the potential to address a UK transport challenge, across the entire network, challenges and technology areas.

This follows the success of last year’s TRIG competition, which saw 41 projects win funding, including a project that uses AI to reduce train station overcrowding, and a self-driving parcel delivery boat to reduce road congestion.

Applications close on 21 May 2024 and more details are here.