CATEGORIES

1. Regional Transport Authority of the Year

This category is open to transport bodies which cover multiple local authority areas, such as combined authorities, passenger transport executives and sub-national transport bodies. A submission in this category should demonstrate progress and improvement across a range of sustainable transport policy areas supported by measurable outcomes. We are looking for evidence that public transport patronage levels and/or mode shift and customer satisfaction ratings are moving in the right way, albeit in a post-Covid context. Submissions should include the approaches being utilised to attract people back to local transport and what approaches are being used to ensure accessible and affordable travel is available for all. Evidence on improving public health through increased active travel infrastructure and networks, the use of decarbonised fleets (e.g. electric buses) and road fatality statistics will also be necessary.

2. Exemplary approach to Active Travel & Public Space 

Entries in this category need to demonstrate how particular policies and projects have improved public space and the street environment that has both improved the appearance of an area but also made it healthier, safer and cleaner making it more attractive to people to go there. Examples of initiatives for this award include public realm improvement schemes, pedestrian schemes or parking and warden policies, pop up parklets, planting and green infrastructure. A walking and cycling strategy may form the basis of a submission for this category or an individual scheme, which has brought significant benefits. Increased numbers of people cycling, walking or wheeling and/or reduced cycle casualties are two ways that you could document the success of your work.

Before and after photographs also help the Judges with this category.

3. Best Bus Service

This Award is open to all UK and Ireland bus operators to nominate specific bus services they operate. A submission in this category should demonstrate how changes to bus services and facilities have brought about improvements. An increase in passenger numbers; modal shift; improved customer satisfaction ratings; or improved reliability are all examples of the ways success could be documented.

4. Ferry Operator of the Year

This Award is open to ferry operators that run services from ports located in the UK and Ireland. Entries for this Award should outline the range of initiatives that the operator has been involved in to improve services and facilities together with results that have been achieved.  Figures on performance, reliability, passenger growth and customer satisfaction would be included in the submission.

5. Excellence in Road Safety, Traffic Management and Enforcement

This category encompasses all aspects of traffic management and enforcement. Examples of projects that would qualify are speed management, road space reallocation projects (for example towards providing bus or cycle lanes), paving and parking enforcement and road pricing schemes.

We will be looking for results such as casualty reductions, improved journey reliability, modal shift, or congestion reduction.

6. Airport of the Year

An entry in this category would provide evidence of excellence or significant improvement in overall performance or provision of facilities over the past 12 months. KPIs and customer satisfaction results will be particularly relevant as evidence of this. Because of the disparity in size between Heathrow and other UK airports, for the purposes of this category Heathrow terminals will be treated as airports in their own right and will be eligible to enter individually. Heathrow will not be eligible to make a submission as a single unit.

7. Design, Engineering & Construction Project of the Year

Entries must demonstrate that the project was remarkable in one or more of the following areas: (a) scale or ambition; (b) design; (c) technical innovation; (d) in making a demonstrable improvement to the operation of the infrastructure network of which they form part, either locally, regionally or nationally and (e) in being completed within cost and budget. Appropriate figures and statistics must be included.  Upgrades to, or new Railway stations, bus stations, airports, ports and ferry terminals and active travel hubs are all eligible to be entered in this category.

For large projects consisting of a number of phases, entries may be submitted at the end of an individual phase as well as on completion of the whole project.

8. Exemplary contribution to Net Zero

As the biggest emitter of carbon of any sector in the UK the transport sector is acutely aware of the need to reach its target of net zero emissions by 2050. A submission in this category should demonstrate how your organisation has implemented policies, campaigns or technologies to help tackle the climate emergency, contribute to net zero emissions or to increase resilience to climate change. All entries must be supported by clear results and show progress towards your organisation or project reaching net-zero targets. This category can be entered by local authorities, public and private operators or transport suppliers and the third sector for either wide-reaching carbon reduction schemes or individual projects.

9. Best Practice in Diversity, Inclusivity and Accessibility

Inclusive transport is good transport. Designing, building and operating a transport system that 'leaves no-one behind' (Tae Kim, secretary-general, ITF, 2022) is vital to ensuring everyone has easy access to mobility that allows them to live independent and active lives with access to education and training, work, friends and family and culture and leisure. We are looking for evidence of how diversity, inclusivity and accessibility has been improved for a transport service or at a facility; the introduction of a new policy; or more widely across an organisation.

10. Campaign of the Year

Engaging and building connections with transport users, communities and decision-makers is essential to bringing about the behavioural change in transport that is required to achieve modal shift away from private cars and HGVs towards sustainable forms of transport. Submissions in this category should include evidence of either a marketing or promotional campaign, behavioural change campaign, a PR campaign, or a lobbying/political campaign that delivered a successful outcome.

Useful statistical or anecdotal metrics to include could be campaign reach, take-up, coverage, funding or a positive policy decision.

11. Best Alliance /Collaboration of the Year

Collaboration is recognised as key to achieving progress and delivering improvements and better outcomes. We're looking for alliances that can evidence how partnership-working has enabled timely, efficient and successful delivery of a scheme or service, or how it has allowed a successful approach to be applied to a given transport issue, need or policy approach. Alliances could be between public sector bodies, private sector suppliers or operators, the business community and the third sector.

12. Digital and Technology Excellence in Transport

This category is open to any organisation using technologies or digitalisation to assist in the transport planning, running, marketing or monitoring of transport operations and usage. We need to see evidence that the project has brought about good results, demonstrated benefits to users and or efficiencies throughout the operation. Alternative vehicle fuels and technologies through to behavioural change or journey planning Apps can be entered in this category

13. Frontline Employee / Community Champion of the Year

We're looking for nominations for this award either for a frontline member of staff (for example, bus drivers, train conductors, highways inspectors, school crossing patrols, receptionists & ticket staff etc) or volunteers and community champions (for example, volunteer community taxi or bus drivers; rail station volunteers (for example gardeners, hospitality or basic maintenance); or volunteer campaigners to improve a service or safety standards etc) who may have gone beyond the call of duty in their role or dedicated their own time to achieving community value, customer and/or staff satisfaction and wellbeing.

The nomination will need to demonstrate a real commitment to their role and include anecdotal evidence where possible. Supporting letters are useful in this category.

14. Bus Operator of the Year

This Award is open to all UK and Ireland bus operators. Entries for this Award should outline the range of initiatives that the operator has been involved in to improve services and facilities together with results that have been achieved.

15. Rail Operator of the Year

This Award is open to all UK and Ireland rail operators. Entries for this Award should outline the range of initiatives that the operator has been involved in to improve services and facilities together with results that have been achieved.

16. Tram Operator of the Year

This Award is open to all UK and Ireland rail operators. Entries for this Award should outline the range of initiatives that the operator has been involved in to improve services and facilities together with results that have been achieved.

AWARDS NOMINATED BY THE JUDGES

17. Outstanding Contribution to Transport

18. Lifetime Contribution to Transport