By Tom Austin-Morgan

Connecting Leeds was highly commended at this year’s CIHT Awards and aims to transform travel in the city with safe, sustainable infrastructure for all. “The team have worked incredibly hard since forming in 2017 to embed EDI into everything we do, from recruitment to design and consultations, so it is great to [even] be shortlisted for such an award,” says Gary Bartlett, Leeds City Council's Chief Officer for Highways and Transportation.

“Our consultations and communications have informed the designs and business cases linked to the realisation of some of the city’s most ambitious projects including transforming City Square and [the] improvements to Armley Gyratory, and improving safety for all road users as part of our Vision Zero strategy to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on Leeds’s roads by 2040.

“Our efforts to encourage a greater focus on EDI extends to our partners, hosting workshops on behalf of organisations such as Starship with stakeholders who have protected characteristics to ensure their views are actively considered in their 'last mile' delivery robot schemes.

“The [overall] project ‘Connecting Leeds For All’ has achieved a lot of accessibility and diversity related improvements already, but we recognise that EDI is a journey and that the more you learn, the more you realise there is still more to learn. We hope that by shining a light on our project in this forum, we can inspire others to prioritise inclusion of stakeholders and create honest: ‘You said, we did,’ style feedback loops in their work, all of which will lead to more inclusive design and construction.”

Also shortlisted was First Bus who recently launched reverse mentoring and allyship programmes to support gender equality and empower female colleagues.

“We’re re-writing everything in our company to be more people-centric,” explains Gareth Hind, Director of Colleague Experience and Relations, First Bus. “The EDI Awards recognise that we’re all on a journey, it provides opportunity to celebrate progress and the hard work we’re all doing but recognises that we’ve still got a way to go.

“14,000 of our colleagues are working to deliver an ambitious EDI programme and being recognised in this awards category enables us to reinforce the direction of travel we’re going in and to celebrate what we’ve achieved so far, and we’ve only really just got started.”

Main image: People inspect a Starship delivery robot; credit: Leeds City Council

Looking for transport to thrive

The University of the West of England (UWE) and Sustrans are addressing transport barriers for young people aged 16-24 that affect their access to work, education, and social opportunities, and this led to an appearance on the shortlist.

This group made 21% fewer trips than those aged 25-64 in 2019, a gap that has widened over the last 20 years. Funded by The Health Foundation, ‘Transport to Thrive’ analyses national travel data and insights from interviews with school and college leavers. 

Dr Kiron Chatterjee, Professor of Travel Behaviour at the UWE Bristol, explains: “The situation for young people is worsening and we need to see a change in transport policy that prevents further decline.”

Meanwhile, WSP's Safety Inclusion Assessment (SIA) was commended for utilising research and data to guide infrastructure investments for local governments and organisations. It identifies and addresses safety concerns in various contexts, providing design solutions to mitigate risks and improve placemaking.

Natasha Nealey, Associate Director at WSP, says: “The CIHT Award application process wasn't just about the nomination, it was a chance for us to reflect on our progress so far. What started as a simple idea, born from shared concern about women and girls’ safety in public spaces, has led to a team of passionate people delivering SIA projects and raising awareness about women’s safety internationally.

“The team were delighted to learn about the nomination, which speaks volumes about their dedication to making transport safer. By raising awareness about SIA through this award, we believe we can be a catalyst for positive change for women and girls' safety. We hope to inspire people in the transport industry to work together to impact real and perceived perceptions of safety for people travelling.”

Also commended was Morgan Sindall Infrastructure who aim to increase diversity and create careers on the A11 concrete road reconstruction project, while the eventual winner, ‘Women in Bus and Coach’, seeks to establish a nationwide network to empower, advocate for, and retain women in the profession. By addressing and removing existing barriers, it will foster inclusivity and representation in the service industry, ensuring equal access to career opportunities tailored to women's needs.

See all the winners from the 2024 CIHT Awards.

Main image: People inspect a Starship delivery robot; credit: Leeds City Council