TravelWise Week Awards WINNERS 2023!

TravelWise Week Awards WINNERS

It was a difficult job for our judges,  but we’re thrilled to announce the Winners and runners up for the TravelWise Week 2023 awards which took place  at our Team Modeshift National Sustainable Travel Awards 2023 Thursday 23 November, at York Racecourse

STARS Programme Manager Tom Murray said:

‘Well done to all of those who took part in this years’ TravelWise Week campaign. Your support, imagination and work ethic enabled us to collectively promote realistic alternatives to travelling alone by car once again. To those shortlisted and to the final winners’ congratulations we can’t wait to see what you may plan in September 2024!’

These TravelWise Week Awards recognise organisations that have excelled in raising awareness of sustainable transport options and delivering activities during TravelWise Week 16 – 22 September and World Car Free Day.

TravelWise Week Awards 2023 WINNERS

Best TravelWise Week Campaign – School

Tylers Green Middle School, Buckinghamshire

Tylers Green Middle School prepared for TravelWise Week by contacting local businesses to ask them to support their activities and display their promotional information. Once into the week the school engaged its students in three main tasks to influence travel and transport: a pledge, a wellbeing task, and a homework-based activity. These activities were successful in engaging 255 children, 28 staff and several parents while travel data was collected by Sustrans for future use. A great week!

Best TravelWise Week Campaign – Business

University of Liverpool

The University successfully engaged with several key stakeholders and internal teams to close roads across the university campus for the entire week of TravelWise activity. This enabled them to encourage staff and students to travel by an active mode taking advantage of the traffic free environment, while specific events including a led ride by the peloton club a not-for-profit organisation took place. With the road closures achieved the university used the main university square to showcase food stalls and promote active and sustainable travel options via stalls.

Best TravelWise Week Campaign – Local Authority

Hull City Council

Hull City Council were able to engage a high amount of people through targeted cycle, walking and public transport actions throughout TravelWise Week in 2023. The bus surgery held on World Car Free day saw over 250 people attend and the 10 mile walk to kick off the week 17 participants on the start line. Meanwhile Stagecoach and East Yorkshire buses used the week to continue the promotion of the £2 single fare trip asking people to consider that one double decker bus can replace the need for 75 individual cars.

Runners up …

Best TravelWise Week Campaign – Business

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Employees of the trust took to their bikes during this year’s TravelWise Week to raise money for several charities while working with Arriva showcased travel opportunities to over 200 people with a number signing up to a Smartcard ticket to continue bus travel behaviour into the future.

SAJ Transport Consultants

The team at SAJ Consultants took part in a step challenge throughout TravelWise Week ensuring journeys from home into the office or from the office onto key locations across Newcastle City Centre such as community cycle hubs were done so on foot. To remained focused and bring friendly competition into the workplace walks were themed, held within working hours to promote health and wellbeing outcomes and included activities such as transport trail treasure hunts. The week culminated with awards on World Car Free Day.

Best TravelWise Week Campaign – Local Authority

Islington Council

To help celebrate TravelWise Week in 2023 Islington Council held the Saddle and Sole Walking and Cycling Festival on Saturday the 16 September. A full day of activity showcased a range of adapted cycles, involved cargo bike trials, led walks, group cycle rides, Dr Bike servicing, bike marking plus other games. Currently it is estimated between 500 and 1000 people attended and were asked to think about how they travel on a regular basis.

Darlington Borough Council

A week of sustainable travel promotions across key locations in Darlington including Amazon, EE (Nexus Foyer) and Business Central enabled the council to showcase a range of public transport ticketing options and highlight key active transport routes in and around the city of Darlington. While 53 were directly engaged throughout the week a further 65 individuals were given guidance by the council’s team of travel advisors.

Best TravelWise Week Campaign – School

Ashlyns School, Hertfordshire

A successful week of activity enabled the school to promote a range of active and sustainable travel opportunities to parents, students, and staff throughout the week. Over 40 students tracked their travel and transport using a TravelWise Week diary, parents were engaged with through a regular bulletin as World Car Free Day approached and staff were asked to make a commitment to a change of transport mode during the week within regular meetings as the week approached. This activity was supported by on and offline promotions throughout the week and student pledges.

Chew Stoke Church School, Bath and North East Somerset

The school was successful in persuading students, staff, and parents to travel wisely throughout the week with a wide range of modes including cycle, scooter, foot and carshare evidenced and captured in video and pictures. A number of those who did drive were able to park and stride during the week or carshare with others to bring down the overall impact of car journeys upon the site during the week. Highlights included a lunchtime scooter club and whole school walk during the week.

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary, Blaydon, Gateshead

A great week of activity at the school saw 200 pledges to travel wisely made by staff and students, 97 cycles and scooter journeys registered, and 102 children attend a breakfast for those who had travelled sustainably. This range of activities were supported by positive messages online and within school bulletins, which led to a drop in car journeys around the school site on World Car Free Day.

Well done to all those who took part – TravelWise Week wouldn’t be the same without you!

Taking place between 16-22 September each year, TravelWise Week promotes active travel, public transport, and other cleaner and healthier transport choices, and culminates in World Car Free Day when everyone is encouraged to find an alternative mode of travel for just one day.