Transport for the North (TfN) has scooped the “Research Initiative of the Year” award at the prestigious 2023 CIHT Awards ceremony.
The team was recognised for their work on transport-related social exclusion (TRSE) in the North of England which found that more than 3 million people in the North are at risk of social exclusion, as a result of poor transport services.
TRSE means being unable to access opportunities, key services, and community life as much as needed, and facing major obstacles in everyday life through the wider impacts of having to travel. Our research tells us that high levels of car dependency is the key driver of TRSE in the North.
To help combat TRSE, Transport for the North and its partners across the North have developed a Connecting Communities Strategy – the first regional strategy for achieving a more effective, equal, and inclusive transport system for all. Significantly reducing transport-related social exclusion is also one of the three strategic ambitions at the core of TfN’s revised Strategic Transport Plan that is currently out for consultation.
The CIHT awards is an annual global competition for the Highways and Transport sector. It showcases and celebrates the outstanding achievements and contributions made by Highways and Transportation professionals.
Martin Tugwell, Chief Executive of Transport for the North, said: “This is a tremendous achievement for Transport for the North, and we are delighted to receive the recognition.
“It is a ground-breaking piece of work for us, as it serves to highlight how access to transport remains one of the biggest barriers to individuals and communities realising their potential.
“We want everyone to have a transport network that delivers access to good quality work and education opportunities and enables travel for leisure.
“It was also fantastic for our Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (EVCI) work to make the shortlist in the same ‘Research Initiative of the Year’ category, and it is pleasing to see TfN’s work in this area being shared more widely.”
