CATEGORIES

AWARDS FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES/REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

1. Transport Local Authority of the Year
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. Most Effective Road Safety, Traffic Management & Enforcement Project
This category encompasses all aspects of road safety, traffic management and enforcement. Examples of projects that would qualify are speed management, road space reallocation projects (for example bus lanes) and parking enforcement schemes. We will be looking for results such as casualty reductions, improved journey reliability, modal shift, or congestion reduction.

3. Best Practice in Travel to School and Work Schemes
An entry in this category should demonstrate developments in school and work transport schemes, which have delivered modal shift or improved safety. 

AWARDS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS

4. Public Transport Operator of the Year
This Award is open to all rail, bus, taxi and ferry passenger service 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 OPEN TO ALL

5. Best Bus Service
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.

6. Excellence in Transport Accessibility 
An entry in this category covers projects or initiatives that can demonstrate improved access to travel or the travel experience for disabled people. We will be looking for entries which highlight innovation, the extent to which the proposer has sought to build upon learning through engagement with disabled people, positive team or partnership collaboration, and the extent to which they benefit disabled people who are in hard-to-reach groups. 

7. Excellence in Walking, Public Realm and Cycling
Entries in this category need to demonstrate how particular policies and projects have improved the street environment. Examples of initiatives for this Award include environmental enhancement schemes, pedestrian schemes or parking and warden policies. Before and after photographs help the Judges with this category.

Alternatively, a 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 or reduced cycle casualties are two ways that you could document the success of your work.

8. Rail Supplier of the Year
Suppliers of equipment and services to the rail industry are eligible to enter this category.  Entrants should demonstrate the benefits accrued from the use of these products and services e.g. increased efficiencies, improved reliability, decreased crime levels etc.  It may be that you have innovatively applied existing products and services or introduced a new product or service that has traditionally been used outside the rail sector.

9. Contribution to Sustainable Transport
A submission in this category should demonstrate how your organisation has implemented policies to reduce its impact on the environment (for example reduced carbon footprint), supported by clear results. The types of projects that would qualify for this category include the use of alternative vehicle fuels and technologies or freight practices which have resulted in mileage and/or emissions/reductions.

10. Most Innovative Transport Project of the Year
Projects entered into this category need to demonstrate good results- it could be a project that is the first of its kind in Scotland or a project that has been done before but has been approached differently. Projects should stand out as being that bit different.  

11. Excellence in Technology and Innovation
An entry in this category should document how you have employed new technology or a new way of working to bring about great results. Again we need to see evidence that the project has brought about good results, demonstrated benefits to users and or efficencies throughout the operation. Please note that if your project is very recent, we appreciate that results may be limited.

12. Transport Team/Partnership of the Year
A submission in this category should demonstrate how effective team work has brought improvements to transport services or facilities. We will be looking for evidence that working practices, or improved working practices have delivered improvements.

13. Excellence in Travel Information and Marketing
This category covers all areas of transport marketing including information, promotion and travel planning. We will be looking for clear evidence that the approach that you have chosen has brought about results. This may be patronage increases, modal shift or greater awareness of a particular service/ facility, or feature. 

14. 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. We encourage all airports to submit their most recent ASQ scores

15. Frontline Employee of the Year
We're looking for nominations for this award for a frontline member of staff (for example, school crossing patrols, bus drivers, highways inspectors, receptionists) who has gone beyond the call of duty in their role and delivered a better service as a result. The nominee will have demonstrated a real commitment to their service and your nomination will need to outline briefly what they have done to deserve this award, supported with statistical or anecdotal evidence. Supporting letters are useful in this category

16. Excellence in transport design
Entries submitted into this category should demonstrate a focus on sustainability and high quality. Designs should also be befitting and sensitive of the community in which it is being implemented and that co-design has been meaningfully included. There should be evidence the design has been future-proofed including potential for flexibility/extendability and be environmentally and economically sustainable. Excellence should be demonstrated in innovation, invention, and originality - it could be a design that is the first of its kind in the country and shows that it adds value and stands out above the rest. Entries can include a wide range of scheme designs from cycle hubs, bus, rail and metro stations and airport terminals.

17. Best Practice in Transport Planning
Transport planning and the development of transport plans are the cornerstone of sustainable, integrated and efficient transport networks. This category is open to national, local and regional authorities and agencies including any partnerships with any engineering/planning consultancies. Plans must have been published / compiled in the last year and can focus on entire multimodal networks or individual areas such as Active Travel or bus networks for example. Entries should show consideration and alignment with other policies and strategies, including the National Transport Strategy and demonstrate how the transport planning contributes to planning of other portfolios including economic development, land use planning, climate change as well as health and education.

18. Excellence in Social & Community Value
This new award for 2025 will recognise the social impact benefits of an activity, project, programme, initiative, or policy on individuals and communities. Positive examples of social impact could include: Job creation; Improved access to services and facilities - education, healthcare, leisure, and cultural experiences; Reduced crime; Improved safety; Environmental/conservation; Cultural preservation; Scheme impact mitigation strategies.

Submissions should capture the positive benefits and impact on individuals and our communities. Evidence such as testimonies, examples of societal benefits and where possible monetary value should support the submission.

 AWARDS NOMINATED BY JUDGES

19. Lifetime Contribution to Transport

20. Outstanding Contibution to Transport