Coach operators are being urged to prepare early for a new £1.85 million government grant scheme supporting transferable audio-visual equipment for rail replacement services.
The fund, which is expected to open at the end of June and run for six months or until allocated funding is exhausted, will reimburse the purchase of qualifying portable technology that enables compliance with the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations (PSVAIR) 2023.
The scheme covers transferable equipment capable of generating audible and visible journey information alongside portable supporting peripherals such as screens and induction loops where they form part of a complete compliant system.
It excludes buses, permanent refits, wired-in installations, and standalone peripherals that cannot themselves provide, or support, AIR-compliant information.
Funding is capped at £2,000 (excluding VAT) per vehicle.
Operators with a recent rail replacement history may access 75% funding for the number of coaches deployed on their busiest rail replacement day in the previous 12 months, subject to the scheme’s tiered rules, while those without recent activity can receive 75% support for up to five coaches, with lower rates available for further vehicles.
Operators will need to provide equipment details, proof of purchase, evidence of eligibility and supporting information on how the equipment will be used.
Although the scheme reimburses purchases rather than paying grants in advance, a fact sheet shared by the Department for Transport (DfT) on 9 June says applications will be assessed on a rolling basis, and funding allocations may be adjusted according to regional needs.
Elliott Brown, Director of Application Studio which produces the Route Robin solution, has welcomed the structure, but warns that the limited funding pot could create a race for support. He also notes that the sector should take account of production and delivery lead times, particularly given the approaching 31 July point at which rail replacement exemptions will end.
“The funding is for compliant tech only and operators are being left to decide what is compliant, which is tricky,” says Mr Brown. “We are pushing the fact time is of the essence, not just because of the deadline, but also because the pot is limited to £2000 per vehicle, which means just over 900 vehicles will be made compliant through the scheme. By the Department for Transport’s (DfT’s) numbers, thousands of coaches need to adopt this tech to for us to have the capacity to meet rail replacement requirements. For operators to get the full benefit, they need to get their claim in as soon as they can.
“There is also a danger operators will order from us at the end of July expecting next-day delivery, whereas, because this is bespoke and specialist for the task, it has to be assembled and tested before it is shipped out.”
Mr Brown believes the grant could encourage operators that have stepped back from rail replacement work to reconsider the market, particularly where portable technology removes the need for an expensive full-fleet refit. He says operators considering the scheme should identify their likely eligibility, choose a demonstrably compliant system and begin the purchasing and claim preparation process as soon as possible, rather than treating the end of July as an ordering deadline.
“The grant announcement has been excellent, long awaited and it’s perfect from our point of view,” he adds. “We have talked to operators about helping them through the grant process, and are working with DfT to put the impact together. Details of the scheme are still being worked out but once they are finalised we will assist operators as much as possible.”
More information about the grant scheme, and frequently asked questions, can be found on Application Studio’s website.
