Hull has been highlighted as an example of best practice, nationally, in promoting walking, wheeling, cycling and the use of public transport for everyday journeys after securing two awards at a summit in London.
Representatives from Hull-headquartered business, Sewell Group, and from Hull City Council attended the event, organised by Modeshift, the not-for-profit sustainable travel organisation, at The Royal Society.
The summit was a celebration of sustainable travel excellence and provided an opportunity for organisations from across the country to share their knowledge and expertise around the delivery of travel plans.
As part of the summit, Modeshift hosted ceremonies for both the National STARS Awards and the 2024 TravelWise Week Awards.
Sewell Group beat strong competition to be crowned STARS Business Site of the Year.
The award recognises workplace settings that achieved Modeshift STARS accreditation in the most recent accreditation year.
Modeshift STARS offers a national accreditation standard for business, education and community organisations that have demonstrated excellence in supporting and driving walking, cycling and other forms of sustainable travel by developing and implementing an effective travel plan.
In total, 117 businesses achieved accreditation over the past 12 months, with three shortlisted for the prestigious award, all of whom achieved the Very Good Travel Plan level of STARS Business accreditation.
Sewell Group is a multi-disciplined group of companies operating across the UK. The company has two arms – award-winning forecourt and convenience store operator, Sewell on the go, and a range of estates businesses working nationally across construction, facilities management, consultancy, data mapping and intelligence and investments. All its businesses share the desire to reduce carbon emissions and increase sustainable and active travel.
The company’s recent travel initiatives include positive behavioural change campaigns to encourage people to think about travelling more sustainably as well as cycle to work schemes and car share incentives.
To date, a wide range of initiatives have been delivered around cycle promotion and reducing car use as well as using smarter working practices, like flexible working.
Bethany Dennett, community investment strategist for Sewell Group, said: “We’re delighted to be recognised on a national stage for our work in encouraging our people to think more about how and when they travel.
“Since bringing in our travel campaigns, we’ve seen a real increase in people considering car sharing and talking about whether business travel is always needed, but we’re not going to stop there – we’re always aiming to continually improve and push on with reducing our carbon emissions wherever we can.”
Hull City Council also retained its award for Best Local Authority Campaign at the 2024 TravelWise Week Awards.
TravelWise Week is Modeshift’s yearly, global, week-long travel challenge.
Taking place between 16-22 September each year, TravelWise Week coincides with European Mobility Week to promote active travel, public transport and other cleaner and healthier transport choices, where everyone is encouraged to walk, wheel or ride.
All organisations taking part can be recognised through the Modeshift TravelWise Week Awards.
The council initially secured the title in 2023 and was shortlisted again for the top accolade last year alongside entries from Leeds City Council and Derbyshire County Council.
In securing the award for a second straight year, the judges recognised the wide range of activities that were delivered across all seven days of TravelWise Week by the council and its partners.
Activities that were delivered included Hull Maritime guided walks, Dr Bike sessions; delivered by R-evolution; with over 30 cycles being checked and repaired; as well as e-cycle try-outs. Twenty cycles were securely marked by Humberside Police and Stagecoach East Midlands, East Yorkshire Buses, Northern and the Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership engaged with over 250 people at a city-centre public transport event.
Gill Osgerby, interim assistant director of major projects and infrastructure at the council, said: “Winning this award for the second year in a row is testament to the ongoing work of this authority, and our partners, to support our residents, businesses and communities to choose more sustainable and active travel options.
“Encouraging people to consider walking, wheeling and using public transport is a priority for the city and will help us deliver several ambitions set out in our community plan, including creating safe and welcoming neighbourhoods, a healthier and fairer Hull and tackling the climate emergency.”
As well as the two winners, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust were also shortlisted for the STARS Healthcare Site of the Year award, but narrowly missed out to Kettering General Hospital.
