Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to encourage a modal shift from road to water and rail amongst hauliers and freight operators in (a) South East England, (b) East England and (c) the UK.

The Department continues to support the shift of freight from road to water and rail through the Mode Shift Revenue Support and Waterborne Freight Grant schemes. The State aid clearances for these schemes have been renewed to enable grants to continue to be offered in Great Britain until March 2020.

The Department recently published details of awards of up to £20.6m for 2015/16. These include services beginning and/or ending in South East England or East England and also Scottish and Welsh cross border freight services for which Scottish Government and Welsh Government co-funding is sought.