The UK’s Intelligent Transport Systems industry association is significantly expanding its annual awards to better recognise the huge contribution technology is making to a greener, safer and more efficient transport network.
The ITS (UK) Awards, which were first held in 2006, are adding an extra six awards to the list this year, meaning more than double last year’s number of prizes are on offer.
The new awards include ones for Active Travel, Better Environment through Technology, Best Use of Data or Connectivity, Enforcement Scheme and Public Transport. There is also one for “Frontline Hero” who works for a Member organisation on the “front line” of delivering transport such as on-street engineering.
The Society is also recognising the contribution women make in ITS by introducing the Jennie Martin ITS Woman of the Year award, named in honour of the long-term Secretary General who is in her last year in the role.
Awards for outstanding contribution, Early Careers Professional and Inclusive Mobility continue at the event, which again will be hosted by ITS (UK) President Steve Norris.
“I am honoured to have the new ITS Woman of the Year award given in my name,” commented Jennie Martin. “Like our Women in ITS Forum itself, we hope this award will one day no longer be needed because the gender balance will no longer need addressing, but for now we feel it is an important new category. Over the years the Awards have grown in stature and it is right we align our categories more closely with the Forums that share so much of the knowledge, expertise and innovation that is recognised on the night.”
This year’s President’s Dinner and Awards takes place on 13 October in Milton Keynes. It will be hosted alongside the second ITS (UK) Members’ Day, which is a chance for the industry to get together and network amongst informal-but-informative chat about ITS. After last year’s successful Members’ Day at Cubic, this year’s event will be hosted by Executive Members the Connected Places Catapult, with the President’s Dinner and Awards taking place at the Jury’s Inn Hotel in the city in the evening.
The Awards entry process will be opened in May.
The new list of categories are:
- Rees Hills Award for Outstanding Personal Contribution
- Eric Sampson Award for Early Careers Professional of the Year
- Jennie Martin Award for ITS Woman of the Year
- Frontline Hero Award
- Active Travel Award
- Better Environment through Technology Award
- Best Use of Data or Connectivity Award
- Enforcement Scheme Award
- Public Transport Award
- Inclusive Mobility Award
- Project of the Year Award (chosen as the stand-out project from all of the categories)
(Picture shows last year’s Rees Hills winner Ian Patey with Steve Norris and Jennie Martin)
