National STARS Summit 2025: Celebrating Sustainable Travel Excellence
It was the first of its kind!
The National STARS Summit 2025, held at The Royal Society, London, on Thursday 27 March, brought together over 200 transport professionals from across the UK to discuss best practice, share insights, and celebrate outstanding achievements in sustainable and active travel.
This year, we were delighted to be joined by a delegation from the United States, including members of the Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT). Their attendance was part of a week-long visit exploring best practices in sustainable transport, further strengthening international collaboration in the field of active and commuter travel.
We’re bringing you our best bits from the Summit …
1 – Shaping the future of Travel Plans
The day kicked off with expert-led discussions on embedding long-term Travel Planning, featuring insights from RoSPA, the Department for Transport, and Modeshift. The focus was on ensuring Travel Plans move beyond short-term projects into permanent, impactful solutions.
2 – Engaging sessions across sectors
Delegates participated in targeted Team Talk sessions, covering Education, Business, Residential, and Healthcare Travel Plans. From innovative cycling funding models to regional workplace travel successes, each session provided actionable strategies for improving sustainable transport.
3 – Celebrating excellence – National STARS Travel Awards and Travel Wise Week Awards
Well done to the finalists and Awards winners! Simon Lightwood MP commended the outstanding achievements in Education, Business, Healthcare, and Residential travel planning. Winners demonstrated exceptional commitment to promoting walking, cycling, and public transport use.
Applefields School
4 – Expanding the Modeshift STARS offer
We were excited to share some future plans too, including new schemes to empower primary school pupils to take the lead in active travel inspections, and STARS Spectator Travel Guidance, designed to improve journeys to sports and entertainment venues.
5 – Networking and collaboration
The event wrapped up with interactive workshops, doing what #TeamModeshift do best – collaborating! Schools, local authorities, workplaces, and healthcare professionals, shared knowledge and strategies to improve everyday journeys.
And, in true #TeamModeshift spirit, we embarked on an inspiring walking tour of London’s iconic landmarks, ending at Number Ten. The schools attending the Summit were thrilled to finish the journey outside the Prime Minister’s residence, leaving with fresh ideas and inspiration to champion active travel in their communities
Modeshift Chief Operating Officer, Nick Butler said:
‘This year was a big event as we celebrated 10-years of the Modeshift National Travel Awards. These Awards and the Summit are our opportunity to celebrate the best of the best! An inspiring mix of individuals, schools, business settings, healthcare organisations, and residential developments who are all dedicated to enhancing everyday journeys and enabling more people to walk, wheel, cycle, and use public transport. Together, these organisations are making a real difference and it’s incredibly inspiring to hear and share their stories’.
Big thanks again to all attendees, speakers, and award winners! We can’t wait for the next one.
