Sunderland driverless bus and HGV projects awarded £14m

One of the projects involves a shuttle from Sunderland Interchange

Projects to develop driverless buses, taxis and lorries around the UK have received £81m in funding.

They include trials of HGVs running between car maker Nissan and parts company Vantec, and a shuttle to Sunderland's university and hospital.

Automated vehicle hubs in Solihull and Coventry, and a Cambridge self-driving taxi trial have also received funding.

The GMB union, which represents bus drivers, said "cast-iron guarantees" were needed for the workers involved.

National Secretary Andy Prendergast said: "Plans for driverless buses still look a long way off and, from what GMB has been told, will require a human worker on board.

"But any increased automation in any industry must come with cast iron guarantees for the workforce affected, as well impenetrable public safeguards if it wants to succeed."

Bus drivers in Sunderland recently ended months of strike action after agreeing to a pay offer.

'Massive opportunity'

Business Secretary Grant Shapps said self-driving vehicles "could add tens of billions to our economy and create tens of thousands of jobs" within a few years.

"This is a massive opportunity to drive forward our priority to grow the economy, which we are determined to seize," he said.

The North East Automotive Alliance V-Cal project has been given £8m to trial the use of automated, zero-emission HGVs carrying car parts on both private land and public roads, where they will need to navigate traffic lights, roundabouts, security gates, bridges and other road users.

A total of £6m will also be spent on a project involving Stagecoach North East and Newcastle University, among others, to test an automated, remotely supervised passenger service between Sunderland's transport interchange and the University of Sunderland City Campus and Sunderland Royal Hospital.

In Edinburgh, Stagecoach and bus builder Alexander Dennis are being given £10.4m to launch a full-sized, self-driving bus service which the government believes would be a world first.

There will also be projects to develop a zero-emission, self-driving HGV with supermarket chain Asda and to carry passengers and goods across Belfast's Harbour Estate on driverless shuttles.

The £42m awarded by the government to the seven projects will be match-funded by industry.

The companies will be expected to demonstrate the services are commercially sustainable by 2025.