Beyond the Awards: Lessons from the Shortlist distils sharp, real-world insight from projects recognised in the CIHT Awards 2026. We ask shortlisted entrants four focused questions on legacy, skills, key learning, and future trends to discover what’s working now and what’s coming next. It’s essential reading for sector professionals looking to benchmark their work, apply lessons learnt now and stay ahead of change.
Overview of shortlisted project: Derbyshire County Council, with ITP and Diva Creative, delivered an insight‑driven initiative that significantly increased bus use among young people (11–18 years old). A creative hybrid delivery model, combining behavioural marketing and hands‑on, in‑school training, addressed cost, confidence and awareness barriers rarely tackled together in the bus sector. A team of Bus Champions delivered engaging classroom sessions, while digital activity reinforced messages across social media, radio out‑of‑home channels. This insight‑led approach equipped young people to travel independently and delivered a six‑fold increase in journeys made. The initiative is innovative, collaborative, scalable and aligned with Derbyshire’s BSIP objectives.
Long-term value was embedded through a combination of early behaviour change, skills development and scalable delivery. Rather than focusing solely on short-term patronage uplift, the initiative embeds capability, confidence and positive travel experiences at a formative life stage. By equipping young people with practical skills, such as journey planning, timetable reading, understanding ticketing, using the b_line card (discount travel card) and confidently speaking to bus drivers, the programme addressed underlying behavioural barriers that can otherwise persist into adulthood, laying the foundation for sustained bus use and greater independence throughout life.
This empowerment opens doors to education, employment and social activities, supporting greater independence and providing opportunities that might otherwise be limited, particularly in a predominantly rural county like Derbyshire. The skills developed are not just for the present, but form a lasting legacy, benefiting participants as they progress through further education, training and adult life.
The project deliberately targeted key transition points such as the beginning of the academic year in September and the end of the spring and summer terms when students are most likely to be reviewing their transport options. Particularly, include the move to secondary school or advancing into further education or training, when travel habits are most open to change. The initiative aimed to guide concepts and recommendations from initial planning stages through to practical, actionable interventions and measurable outcomes.
This helped establish bus use as a normal, independent and viable option before car dependency becomes entrenched, supporting sustained behaviour change over time ensuring that bus travel remains a viable and attractive options for years to come, helping the future sustainability of the Derbyshire bus network.
A further element of legacy was the creation of a scalable and repeatable delivery model. The combination of classroom-based delivery, stands at school events, digital assets and school engagement materials has resulted in a robust framework that can be reused across academic years and adapted for other locations. The foundation laid by this initiative supports sustained independence and ongoing engagement with public transport, strengthening community connectivity and social inclusion.
Strong partnership working between the local authority, bus operators and delivery partners through Derbyshire’s Enhanced Partnership ensured shared ownership and alignment with wider strategic objectives and the ambitions set out in the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), embedding the initiative within ongoing policy and delivery structures rather than treating it as a one-off campaign. Together, these elements ensure the project delivers lasting social, behavioural and transport outcomes, supporting long-term bus viability, greater independence for young people and a more inclusive, sustainable transport system
Projects of this nature increasingly require a blended skill set that combines behavioural insight, facilitation and delivery capability, with technical understanding of bus operations, ticketing, and strong stakeholder engagement. A critical skill is the ability to understand, segment and respond to different target audiences, ensuring that messaging, tone and channels are appropriate and effective. In this project, insight into young people’s motivations, anxieties and practical barriers shaped the use of youth focused channels such as social media and out-of-home advertising, while tailored information delivered through schools and parent/carer communications addressed reassurance around safety, value and practicalities. A clear understanding of who the project was aiming to support, combined with careful choice of communication channels and formats, was fundamental to overcoming the specific challenges young people face when considering bus travel. By tailoring the content and delivery to match their preferences, using formats and platforms they are familiar with, the initiative was able to address misconceptions, build confidence and encourage active participation, resulting in stronger engagement and uptake among young people.
Equally important were facilitation and communication skills. Delivering interactive classroom sessions required the ability to engage diverse audiences, adapt content to different learning needs (including SEND students), and build trust quickly within school environments. These classroom sessions provided students with an opportunity to receive personalised face-to-face support within the session, which was particularly valuable, enabling the project team to respond to individual questions, address specific anxieties and provide personalised guidance on using buses and the b_line card confidently and independently. Having a deep knowledge and understanding of the technical area, i.e., bus services and ticketing, helped to build trust and engender respect, which is important in influencing behaviour change.
Finally, collaborative working and programme management skills were essential. Strong partnership working with schools was critical to success. Securing school buy-in, flexibility, relationship-building, and a clear articulation of the benefits for students and the wider school community. Schools played an important role in supporting delivery within a busy timetable, championing the initiative, pushing information out through trusted channels, and recognising the wider benefits for students’ independence and access to opportunities. Close coordination between Derbyshire County Council, schools, bus operators and delivery partners enabled consistent messaging, KPI tracking and ongoing refinement, ensuring the initiative remained responsive, credible and effective throughout delivery.
A key learning was the importance of combining awareness-raising with hands-on capability building. Digital campaigns were effective at achieving reach, but the most meaningful and sustained behaviour change came from in-person engagement that allowed young people to practice scenarios and ask questions in a safe, familiar and supportive environment. This approach enabled questions to be addressed directly on a personal level, anxieties to be explored, and confidence to be built through guided support.
Delivering several measures in tandem results in the biggest benefit. The project was not just about engagement; it was about providing a quality, reliable bus service, with affordable fares, such that when young people try the service for the first time, they will have a positive experience and will more likely choose to travel by bus in the future. The BSIP measures implemented to improve buses, service reliability, safety, infrastructure, information and, crucially, the b_line ticket offering reduced cost of travel for young people, helped to provide an attractive offer. Effective marketing of the b_line ticket, aimed specifically at young people, helped to raise awareness. By taking this multifaceted approach, the impact was greatest, with travel by young people increasing significantly.
The project also reinforced the value of iterative delivery. Piloting across different school settings enabled the team to refine formats, identify what worked best and adapt resources to suit varying confidence levels and learning styles before scaling up. This ensured information about bus travel and the b_line offer was practical, accessible and relevant to different audiences.
Another important learning was recognising unanticipated demand, particularly from SEND students. Although not an original target group, strong feedback highlighted unmet needs, demonstrating the importance of building flexibility into delivery models to respond to emerging opportunities and increase inclusivity.
The initiative reflects a wider shift towards early, preventative behaviour change interventions. Supporting people at formative life stages, such as the move to secondary school, college or training, before car dependency becomes entrenched, can deliver long-term value for public transport viability, social mobility, and carbon reduction. Building independent travel habits early also helps reduce future reliance on lifts, taxis, or private car ownership as young people’s journeys become more complex.
The sector should also pay close attention to affordability and rising price sensitivity driven by cost-of-living pressures. In practice, cost is often the primary driver of travel choices and the main reason people engage with promotions. Perceptions of buses among younger users are improving, but only gradually; discounted fares and youth products (such as the b_line offer) can help position bus travel as a cheaper, more independent option. However, parental concerns about safety, reliability and the overall travel experience can still be a barrier. This is why fare offers are most effective when paired with practical support that builds travel capability and confidence journey planning, ticketing, reassurance, and clear information so that first-time users have a positive experience and are more likely to repeat it.
Finally, sectors should prioritise more segmented, co-designed and place-based approaches. Trends and perceptions vary significantly by age group, school/college and location, particularly across rural and semi-rural areas, so interventions need to be locally responsive rather than based on assumptions. Environmental benefits can support the narrative (for example, interest in EV buses), but for most audiences, it tends to be a secondary consideration behind cost, reliability, and convenience. Strong collaboration between authorities, operators, schools, and communities enables more relevant messaging, shared ownership of outcomes and solutions that are scalable while still tailored to local needs.
ITP’s multi-disciplinary transport planning team plans, implements and evaluates sustainable transport initiatives. Part of Haskoning, our UK-based team focuses on facilitating walking, cycling, and public transport use for people’s everyday journeys. We support local and national governments to develop and implement transport strategies that improve the way the world moves, while aiding private sector clients with progressive placemaking.
www.integratedtransportplanning.com/
If you work in highways and transportation, keep an eye out for Beyond the Awards: Lessons from the Shortlist overview (Coming soon) — your single go-to source for sharp, practical insight drawn from standout projects and the people behind them. By bringing together key takeaways from award entries and candid interviews with leading contributors, this feature turns real-world experience into real-world learning that you can apply today to your projects while helping you stay prepared for what’s coming next.
2026 CIHT Award Winners
The results for the 2026 CIHT Awards will be announced at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London on 17 June 2026. To find out more about the Awards Ceremony visit here.
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