Ahead of this month’s CiTTi Awards 2024 ceremony, City Transport & Traffic Innovation Magazine is profiling each of this year’s finalists – continuing with those shortlisted for The Transport Inclusivity and Accessibility Award!
This award recognises exceptional initiatives that significantly enhance the accessibility of urban transportation for individuals with disabilities, the elderly, and those with learning difficulties.
Entries highlighted emphasised not only innovative solutions and technologies but also the depth of engagement and co-creation with affected communities.
What’s more, submissions demonstrated effective collaboration with stakeholders, highlighting tangible improvements in making transportation systems more inclusive, user-friendly, and accessible to all, and ensuring that everyone has equal access to urban mobility opportunities.
This year’s finalists are:
City of Edinburgh & Marston Holdings
City of Edinburgh & Marston Holdings are nominated for Edinburgh becoming the first city in Scotland to enforce the UK’s inaugural pavement parking ban, introduced by the Transport Scotland Act (2019) to improve road accessibility. Beginning January 2024, the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC), in partnership with NSL and Project Centre, pioneered this effort by developing a systematic approach to enforcement. Project Centre’s study evaluated 5,185 roads using a Red/Amber/Green categorisation to gauge pavement parking levels, guiding both enforcement and necessary adjustments like parking bays and widened footways. NSL further supported with targeted enforcement training and public awareness campaigns, which have already reduced contraventions and complaints, showing positive behaviour changes.Govia Thameslink Railway with Thomas Pocklington Trust & Sight Loss Councils
Govia Thameslink Railway with Thomas Pocklington Trust & Sight Loss Councils is nominated for the introduction of the Aira Explorer app to assist blind and partially sighted customers at 12 stations. This app, made in response to feedback from the Thomas Pocklington Trust and Sight Loss Councils, connects users with a trained agent who guides them through the station using the phone’s camera and speaker, offering real-time assistance from station entrances to ticket offices or onward connections. With Department for Transport (DfT) funding, GTR initially trialled Aira at four stations, receiving positive feedback that prompted expansion to eight additional stations in 2024. By leveraging technology and insights from the community, GTR is setting a new standard for accessible train travel in the UK.HITRANS with Motability, FOD Mobility Group & Enterprise Mobility
HITRANS with Motability, FOD Mobility Group & Enterprise Mobility is nominated for the Go-Hi Mobility as a Service (MaaS) app, launched by HITRANS in 2021. Partnering with Motability Operations, which supports disabled individuals in leasing vehicles, Go-Hi recently tested whether MaaS could be a viable alternative to traditional mobility solutions for people with disabilities. In a three-month trial, 100 Motability customers were provided with £200 in “Mobility Credits” to book transport services like buses, taxis, ferries, and trains via the Go-Hi app. Early feedback highlighted benefits: some participants who couldn’t drive due to medical reasons or temporary vehicle issues could now access affordable and flexible transport options, enhancing their mobility and independence. Motability and Go-Hi are now considering expanding this initiative, with accessibility updates to the Go-Hi app to support more users.Solent Transport
Solent Transport is nominated for its Mobility Credits trial across four southern English local authorities. This trial seeks to improve healthcare, employment, education, and social opportunities for participants from low-income households. Currently, 760 participants under 30, all receiving Council Tax Support, have been selected from over 3,000 eligible residents in Southampton, Portsmouth, Havant, and the Isle of Wight. Each participant receives £50 in monthly travel credits for one year, redeemable only through the Breeze Mobility as a Service app—a platform that offers bus, rail, ferry, and micromobility options. At the trial’s midpoint, feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with 81% of participants rating their experience as “excellent,” highlighting the potential for Mobility Credits to enhance access and inclusivity in transport.Transport for London
Transport for London’s Construction Advisory & Innovation Team, part of the Network Management & Resilience Directorate, is nominated for its committed to enhancing road safety and accessibility for vulnerable users in the capital. Collaborating with developers, community groups, and disability advocates, the team drives safety innovations across London’s construction sites, promoting accessibility for those with sensory, physical, or cognitive challenges. Key initiatives include Three Tier Assessments for safer traffic management, Barriers to Access workshops, and specialized marshal training on disability awareness and safety. Recent achievements include installing thousands of meters of accessible walkways and cycle routes, trialling non-contact pedestrian signals for users with mobility challenges, and influencing the development of safer, more inclusive road management plans.
Acclaimed Irish stand-up comedian Andrew Ryan has been announced as the special guest host of CiTTi Awards 2024. He will reveal all the winners on Tuesday November 26 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in central London.
The ceremony will be attended by 200 of the UK’s leading transport professionals from local, regional and central government and other place stakeholders – including landowners, developers, and business improvement districts – and their project partners, such as architects, planners, contractors, and technology companies.
Guests will be greeted with a drinks reception held in the Balmoral Suite ahead of the winners being announced within the impressive surrounds of the Grand Hall, which features arched ornate ceilings, beautiful wood-panelling and dramatic chandeliers.
November’s trophy-giving ceremony and public announcement of the winners follows a thorough and exacting shortlisting and judging process, which saw more than 20 transport industry experts evaluate written entries and Zoom-based presentations from nearly 90 organisations across 20 categories.
Tables of 10 and individual tickets can be purchased here. Each seat booked includes a ticket that grants each guest access to the pre-ceremony drinks reception, a three-course dinner, the trophy-giving presentation and invaluable networking opportunities.
Anyone is welcome to attend CiTTi Awards 2024. You do not need to be an finalist to book, so secure your place now for this year’s most exciting social event in the UK transportation sector’s calendar!
The third annual CiTTi Awards will be held on 26 November 2024 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector – and to book your table!
