Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) linear motor technology developed in the UK, and (2) how such technology can be used to decarbonise the transfer and delivery of goods.

Decarbonising transport will require us to embrace new technology and innovation, and multiple solutions will have essential parts to play. Innovate UK is currently part-funding a UK based project to identify the standards and procedures required to design, build, operate and qualify an Underground Freight Transportation system using linear motors, which will report in 2021.

Testing new technology and business models at scale is essential and that is why we have already invested £92 million in four Future Transport Zones (FTZs). These will support local leaders and industry to trial new approaches and we have committed £20m towards mass scale demonstration of zero emission freight in the next year. Our further plans for the decarbonisation of freight will form part of the Transport Decarbonisation Plan which is due to be published by Spring 2021.