A sustainable transport project at Bath’s Riverside regeneration area that has exceeded its targets for the past three years has won the West of England’s top green travel award.
The project, led by developer Crest Nicholson, took Gold at the Travelwest Sustainable Travel Business Awards, which recognise firms that go the extra mile to make transport and travel more sustainable for their staff or customers.
Now in their fourth year, the awards are co-ordinated by the four Travelwest authorities – Bath & North East Somerset Council, Bristol City, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. 
Also among the winners were Bath & North East Somerset Carers Centre and Avon and Somerset Constabulary.
Around 100 business representatives attended the awards on in Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier.
As part of the awards ceremony, organisations were also given Travel Plan accreditation, a process that was started in the West of England in 2001 to recognise and reward the work that businesses put into travel plans for their staff.
Since its establishment, more than 150 organisations have achieved an accreditation at Bronze, Silver, Silver Star and Gold level.
Winners this year were:
Gold:
- Crest Nicholson for its work on the Bath Riverside Regeneration whereby its travel plan has resulting in sustainable modes of travel exceeding targets for the last three years. (Pictured above: Andy Winmill and John Cassell of WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff Transport Consultancy accepting the Gold award on behalf of Crest Nicholson for Bath Riverside Travel Plan from North Somerset Council deputy leader Cllr Elfan Ap Rees).
Silver Star:
- North Somerset Council for its Office Amalgamation strategy, which has significantly reduced business mileage, and seen an introduction in energy efficient and strategic vehicles to the fleet. 
- Transport Planning Associates in Bristol for its efforts in refreshing its travel plan regularly.
Silver:
- Avon and Somerset Constabulary for its work with technology to overcome locational issues with tele and video conferencing.
- Bath & North East Somerset Carers Centre for its management’s efforts to lead by example and consultations with staff and visitors on measures that can be introduced. (Pictured above: Christine Warren of Bath & North East Somerset Council, collecting the Silver certificate on behalf of Bath & NE Somerset Carers’ Centre from North Somerset Council deputy leader Cllr Elfan Ap Rees).
- GE Oil and Gas in Nailsea for the sustainable initiatives it has implemented including a car life share scheme, free electric car charging point and new bike sheds, showers and drying rooms.
- University Hospitals in Bristol, and the Weston Area NHS Health Trust for overcoming challenging issues of complex management of travel needs of shift-working staff, patients and visitors.
Special awards were also granted to several businesses, including:
- Best newcomer: Minuteman Press, Bristol, in recognition that all its staff no longer travel to work by car, and have been trialling a bike and trailer to make deliveries around Bristol.
- Most innovative sustainable travel measures: University of Bristol Students’ Union following work by a group of students to set up a student bike loan scheme which has been delivered by the union on a large operational scale using multi-funded partnerships.
- Most committed individual: Ben Luger, Ecosurety, who has been the driving force behind a new journey sharing website and app launched on November 26 for businesses on the Aztec West Business Park.
- Best motivational campaign: Wessex Garages for its work to promote sustainable travel options to staff as an active Bristol European Green Capital 2015.
- Most improved workplace: WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff in recognition of its investment in excellent facilities for active travellers including bike parking, showers and a drying room following an office relocation and merge of two sites.
- Sustainable Employer of the Year: UWE in recognition of its focus on new parking restrictions and increases bus and cycling capacity while encouraging staff to travel by electric pool bike or electricCar Club options.
Speakers at the event included Nissan GB fleet electric vehicle manager Clare Collins, who talked about electric vehicles and how technology will change vehicles and environmental impacts.
Julian Okoye, business development manager at GENeco, also spoke at the event about the bio bus, which runs off human waste, while James Freeman, managing director for First West of England, spoke about the company’s new environmentally friendly buses.
Cllr Elfan Ap Rees, deputy leader of North Somerset Council, said: “It was especially pleasing to host these awards in Weston-super-Mare this year and to see the enthusiastic attendance by companies from across the West of England. Hearty congratulations are due to all the finalists and winners.”
