West of England firms that go the extra mile to make transport and travel more sustainable for their staff or customers have been recognised.
The Travelwest Sustainable Travel Business Awards, now in their fourth year, are co-ordinated by the four Travelwest authorities – North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bristol City and Bath & North East Somerset Council.
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.
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. (Pictured above: Laura Podeschi and Frankie Mann from North Somerset Council receiving the award from North Somerset Council deputy leader Cllr Elfan Ap Rees).
- 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.
- 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 last month for businesses at Aztec West.
- Best motivational campaign: Wessex Garages for its work to promote sustainable travel options to staff as an active Bristol European Green Capital 2015. (Pictured above: Wessex Garages collect the award from North Somerset Council deputy leader Cllr Elfan Ap Rees).
- 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. (Pictured right: WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff Bristol Office collect the award from North Somerset Council deputy leader Cllr Elfan Ap Rees).
- 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.”
