Back
CitySwift were delighted to sponsor the Environmental Innovation category at the prestigious 2024 UK Bus Awards, held once again at the iconic Troxy venue in London’s East End. These awards are a highlight of the bus industry calendar, celebrating the individuals and organisations working tirelessly to transform the bus industry.
This year’s event exemplified everything the UK Bus Awards stand for. As one of the few independent, not-for-profit awards initiatives, the focus is entirely on uplifting the industry by recognising, rewarding, and inspiring groundbreaking efforts. This ethos makes the awards so special – and why we’re so proud to have been part of them.
The Environmental Innovation Award highlights the projects pushing the boundaries of sustainability and efficiency, and the calibre of finalists in this category was nothing short of outstanding.
At the presentation ceremony, CitySwift’s CCO and Co-founder, Alan Farrelly, unveiled Northern Ireland’s public transport operator, Translink, as the Gold Award winner in the category with its Augmented Engineer initiative.
Leveraging cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) technology, Translink’s project addresses the challenge of maintaining new electric vehicles across seven depots. AR-enabled headsets give engineers real-time access to manuals, training videos, and thermal imaging tools, with remote experts guiding complex repairs from anywhere. The measurable outcomes are impressive: over 700 miles of unnecessary travel avoided monthly, reduced vehicle downtime, and significant environmental benefits too. This brilliant example of innovation in action demonstrates how existing technologies can be harnessed to solve real-world challenges, and the outcomes will undoubtedly inspire operators worldwide.
Global, the outdoor media company, won Silver for its Outdoor Sustainability Initiative for Bus. This project involves replacing non-recyclable advertising panels with fully recyclable boards, eliminating waste associated with traditional advertising materials. It’s a clear example of how even small changes in everyday business practices can significantly impact sustainability.
Meanwhile, First Bus South took the Bronze Award for its Summercourt Depot EV Charging Hub. This innovative approach to maximising the use of EV charging infrastructure at a Cornish bus depot offers idle charging points for public use during downtime. It’s a scheme that has created additional value while reducing waste - a concept the judges believed could be replicated across the sector.
Sponsoring the Environmental Innovation category was more than just an opportunity to present an award, it was a chance to celebrate how far the industry has come in embracing innovation.
Congratulations to all the winners and finalists of the 2024 UK Bus Awards! They inspire the entire industry and show that a greener, more sustainable transport system is within reach through collaboration and innovation.
