Modeshift STARS National Travel Awards and TravelWise Week Awards Winners Announced!

This year’s awards were extra special as we expanded our celebrations beyond Education to recognise excellence across Business, Healthcare, and Residential sectors. For the first time, we introduced the STARS Business, STARS Healthcare, and STARS Residential ‘Sites of the Year’ categories—shining a spotlight on outstanding achievements in sustainable travel across a wider range of sectors. On top of that, we also celebrated our deserving TravelWise Week Award winners in what was truly an awards celebration to remember!

These awards honoured those that have demonstrated excellence in promoting walking, wheeling, cycling, and the use of public transport for everyday journeys, setting a benchmark for best practice in their sectors.

Simon Lightwood MP joined us to celebrate the incredible achievements across Education, Business, Healthcare, and Residential travel planning, along with Rosie Writing MP and Rachael Maskell MP.

And, The National STARS Travel Awards Winners are:

The original Modeshift STARS National Travel Awards, our National Schools of the Year, are now in their tenth year. These awards recognise schools that have demonstrated excellence in growing levels of walking, wheeling, cycling, and other forms of sustainable and active travel within their school community. Just being nominated is a huge achievement, as not only have these sites achieved Modeshift STARS Education accreditation, but they’ve also beaten off competition to be recognised as not just a Local Authority School of the Year, but also a Regional School of the Year for their respective areas. 985 schools achieved STARS Education accreditation in the previous year, so it really is a huge achievement to be nominated for one of our National School of the Year awards.

National Primary School of the Year 2024/25

Chew Stoke Church School, Bath and North East Somerset

The school have embraced sustainable travel as a core part of their curriculum with activities like Odd Socks Walk to School Day, Bling Your Bike, and Bike/Scooter Week taking place. They stay connected with families through newsletters and social media, making sure active travel remains integral to school life. Initiatives like the ‘Tour de Chew Valley’ and local council collaborations have strengthened their focus. In a rural area, the school prioritise road safety through car-free zones, cycle racks, and student-designed road signs. Nearly all pupils now walk, cycle, or scoot to school, promoting a healthier, more active school community.

National Secondary School of the Year 2024/25

Upper Batley High School, Kirklees

The school have made significant progress in sustainability and road safety through collaboration with students, staff, and the community.
To encourage cycling, they distributed hi-vis jackets, reflectors, and bike locks, upgraded bike parking, and partnered with the Council to monitor traffic and raise awareness of sustainable travel options. These efforts have contributed to a reduction in car use, improved air quality, and a stronger commitment to active travel and environmental responsibility across the school.

National SEND School of the Year 2024/25

Applefields School, City of York

The school have embedded active travel into school life through the leadership of their Active Travel Ambassadors (ATAs). They use data and research to shape campaigns and refine the School Travel Plan. The school tackle challenges with initiatives like ‘Dr. Bike’ sessions and assemblies led by Police Community Officers. Their ‘Satellite – Be Bright’ shop promotes road safety while funding further travel initiatives. Pupils participate in Bikeability training, route planning, and public transport sessions. Active travel is integrated into lessons, offering leadership opportunities such as presenting at the Modeshift Convention, ensuring sustainable travel remains a key priority.

National Early Years Establishment of the Year 2024/25

Slough Centre Nursery School, Slough

The nursery promotes healthy and sustainable travel through various initiatives involving children and parents, including Park and Stride, and bling your bike or scooter days. Children enjoy active play with nurseryprovided bikes and scooters in the garden, and share experiences like bus rides, sparking group discussions and songs. They observe and count traffic, practice road safety, and discuss the health and fitness benefits of walking. Parents participate in active games with children and raise parking concerns with staff and local councillors. Regular communications and an updated Travel Policy reinforce these efforts.

STARS Business Site of the Year

This award recognises workplace settings that achieved Modeshift STARS accreditation in the most recent accreditation year. 117 organisations achieved accreditation over the course of the year, and we’re now down to the final 3 sites, all of whom achieved the Very Good Travel Plan level of STARS Business accreditation.

Sewell Group Ltd, Hull

The Sewell Group family is made up of a diverse group of businesses who all have the same aim of reducing carbon emissions and increasing sustainable and active travel. The company’s travel and transport policies include positive behavioural change initiatives, cycle to work schemes, and car share schemes. To date, a wide range of initiatives have been delivered around cycle promotion and reducing car use as well as using smarter working practices like flexible working.

STARS Healthcare Site of the Year

The STARS Healthcare scheme launched in July 2024, and already 109 sites nationally have achieved STARS Healthcare accreditation. Our first Modeshift STARS Healthcare National Site of the Year will see one of our nominees take the title, having achieved the Very Good Travel Plan level of STARS Healthcare accreditation in the last year.

Kettering General Hospital, North Northamptonshire

Kettering General Hospital aims to be an exemplar Trust by ensuring they are easily accessible to all users. To achieve this, staff, patients, and visitors are actively supported to make sustainable travel choices that suit their needs whilst promoting health and wellbeing. The Travel Plan aims to increase access to the hospital by non-car modes, effectively communicate sustainable travel options to all, reduce the Trust’s carbon footprint in line with NHS Net Zero targets, and actively support travel modes which contribute to improved health and wellbeing.

STARS Residential Sites of the Year

Our Modeshift STARS Residential scheme recognises organisations that have delivered effective Residential Travel Plans for new developments. This growing scheme saw 16 sites achieve accreditation in the last year, with our nominees having achieved either the Excellent Travel Plan or Very Good Travel Plan levels of accreditation.

Linmere, Central Bedfordshire

The Linmere development is an urban extension comprising of up to 5,150 dwellings, retail units, offices, and industrial use. The site also includes a school, a hotel, and community and leisure facilities. The Travel Plan aims to create a sustainable, community driven environment for residents which promotes a range of lifestyle and travel choices and reduces reliance on private car use. Key objectives include reducing the level of vehicle ownership, reducing the number of single occupancy vehicle trips to and from the site, and increasing awareness and use of sustainable modes of transport.

TravelWise Week Awards 2024

TravelWise Week is Modeshift’s yearly, global, week-long travel challenge. Taking place between 16-22 September each year, TravelWise Week coincides with European Mobility Week to promote active travel, public transport, and other cleaner and healthier transport choices, where everyone is encouraged to walk, wheel, or ride. All organisations taking part have the opportunity to be recognised through the Modeshift TravelWise Week Awards.

Best Modeshift TravelWise Week Campaign

Local Authority:

Hull City Council

A wide range of activities were delivered across all seven days of TravelWise Week, with over 250 individuals engaged throughout. Activities were delivered by Hull City Council and their partners and included Maritime guided walks; Dr. Bike sessions with over 30 cycles being checked and repaired, e-cycle try-outs taking place, as well as 20 cycles being securely marked; Freshers Fayre activities; and a media launch.

Business & Workplace:

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Throughout TravelWise Week, bus operators attended a number of sites across the Trust to encourage bus travel to hospital staff where they gifted free day travel passes to interested individuals.
The benefits of cycling were also promoted, with staff being offered a two hour free cycle journey during the week.

Residential:

Linmere and Central Bedfordshire Council

TravelWise Week was celebrated across all seven days at Linmere with a huge range of activities for residents and schools who reside within the housing estate. ‘Freddie the fresh air frog’ launched a park and stride at a local school, free bus vouchers were provided to residents, hire bikes and rail travel were promoted to all, and scavenger hunts resulted in amazing prizes!

School:

William Gilbert Endowed C of E Primary School and Nursery

‘Make a pledge Monday’ kick-started TravelWise Week for pupils and staff, with an assembly taking place to let pupils know about all the exciting activities taking place during the week. Activities ran across all five days and included ‘Modeshift TravelWise Travel Trail Tuesday’, a cycle and walk to school day to coincide with National Fitness Day, ‘Lucky lock Thursday’ and Car Free Friday which saw 159 children scoot to school. A raffle also ran throughout the week with the lucky winners being announced on Friday.

A huge congratulations to these outstanding teams for their dedication to enhancing everyday journeys—their hard work has earned them a place among our most successful STARS!