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: The 2022 updated Highway Code introduced rules giving priority to pedestrians crossing side roads. Anecdotal evidence and initial research suggests drivers tend not to adhere to the rules, there is no guidance for designers and the network impact is unknown.
The research builds on previous studies by investigating compliance at various types of intervention, uses microsimulation modelling to assess performance and includes design, implementation, and monitoring of new, non-prescribed Zebra crossings at sites across City of Westminster.
The aim is to understand the capacity, compliance and safety of each potential intervention and produce guidance that’s shared with designers and highway authorities.
(KF) The Westminster City Council Side Road Crossing Trial was designed from the outset to deliver long term value, not short term experimentation. By testing designs on live streets and rigorously monitoring behaviour before and after implementation, the project generated clear, transferable evidence on how pedestrian priority can be safely and effectively delivered at junctions. The trial demonstrated a sustained improvement in driver compliance, leading to the retention of crossings on street and embedding tangible, permanent benefits for walking. Crucially, the project went beyond individual locations. Detailed monitoring, user perception surveys and microsimulation modelling were used to understand wider network impacts, ensuring the approach could be confidently replicated without undermining traffic or bus reliability. Findings from Westminster have since informed wider local and national guidance and policy discussions. The trials are directly referenced in Transport for London’s “Vision Zero Action Plan2”, and have been used to inform Transport for Wales amendments to the Welsh TSRGD and the DfT decision to commit to update the UK TSRGD to include similar crossings. The result is a clear and enduring legacy; safer, more intuitive crossings for pedestrians, retained schemes on the highway, and a robust evidence base that continues to shape future street design and policy decisions.
(KF) Projects such as the Westminster City Council Side Road Crossing Trial require a blend of technical expertise, behavioural insight and collaborative delivery skills to succeed. At their core is the ability to translate changes in national policy, such as updates to the Highway Code, into safe, practical street designs that work in real world conditions. Strong data analysis and monitoring skills are critical. The project combined detailed on street observation, compliance surveys and post implementation monitoring to understand how drivers and pedestrians actually behave. This evidence was essential in demonstrating safety outcomes and securing confidence in the schemes. Equally important is advanced modelling capability. Microsimulation modelling was used alongside observed behaviour to assess wider network impacts, ensuring pedestrian priority could be delivered without unacceptable effects on traffic or public transport reliability. Finally, successful delivery depends on clear communication, stakeholder engagement and strong leadership. Working closely with local councillors, council officers, delivery partners and national bodies ensured findings were understood, trusted and ultimately embedded in wider guidance and future schemes.
(KF) The Westminster City Council Side Road Crossing Trial reinforced the importance of designing projects around observed behaviour, not assumptions and anecdotal perceptions of outcomes. This was particularly crucial because of the potential risks to pedestrian safety. One of the key lessons was that early, high quality baseline data and structured post implementation monitoring are essential to understanding how people actually respond to changes on the street and to plan a strategy to address any unforeseen consequences. The project also demonstrated the value of combining on street evidence with validated microsimulation modelling. Using observed behaviour to refine modelling assumptions significantly improved confidence in network impact assessments and helped address concerns around capacity and resilience before they became barriers to delivery. These lessons will directly inform future projects by strengthening evidence led design, improving modelling robustness, and embedding inclusion and monitoring as core components of how street trials are planned, delivered and evaluated.
Norman Rourke Pryme is a multi-disciplinary consultancy delivering services across the UK. Our services sit across the built environment and cover a wide range of sectors, including construction, transportation and highways & infrastructure. From early visioning through to construction and operational phases, we provide integrated services that ensure projects are delivered efficiently, sustainably and to the highest standards.
We are proud to be part of a select group of B-Corp certified firms in the built environment sector, committed to using business as a force for addressing society’s challenges and building a more inclusive economy. Our business has been built on exceptional people who are dedicated to service excellence, and this remains at our core today. We are a team of dynamic professionals, who take pride in delivering quality, bespoke services.
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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The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the CIHT or its members. Neither the CIHT nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein
