CitySwift were proud to sponsor the Environmental Innovation category for the fourth year running at the 2025 UK Bus Awards, an event that continues to shine a spotlight on the organisations, people and projects transforming the bus industry for the better.
Held at the iconic Troxy in London’s East End, the awards bring together operators, suppliers and innovators from across the UK to celebrate the remarkable strides being made towards a greener, more sustainable future for public transport.
The UK Bus Awards remain one of the industry’s most respected, not-for-profit recognition programmes, and this year’s ceremony emphasised exactly why. With a genuine commitment to championing excellence, the awards exist not just to congratulate achievements but to accelerate progress across the sector.
For CitySwift, supporting the Environmental Innovation category is a natural fit. This award recognises the ideas, technologies and approaches that challenge convention, and ultimately help make cleaner, smarter, and more efficient transport a reality.
This year, the category showcased an impressive breadth of innovation, from circular-economy thinking to data-powered optimisation and new models of energy use. We're always impressed by the calibre of entries in this category - which continues to rise - demonstrating how seriously the industry is investing in sustainability.
Gold: Global's closed-loop de-inking system
This year’s Gold Award went to Global for its pioneering Closed-loop De-inking System, a project the judges described as “true environmental innovation".
The scheme addresses a longstanding challenge: reducing waste from printed advertising materials used on buses and other outdoor formats. By developing a process to remove ink from advertising panels, allowing the material to be reused, Global has created a fully circular system that drastically cuts waste.
What makes the achievement especially noteworthy is the scalability. The judges highlighted that the process could easily be rolled out worldwide, and applied beyond the bus sector to any industry reliant on similar panels. It is precisely the kind of forward-thinking environmental leadership the category was designed to celebrate, tackling not just operational emissions, but the broader lifecycle impact of materials used across the industry.
Silver: Stagecoach Yorkshire and VEV-IQ
The Silver Award was presented to Stagecoach Yorkshire for its VEV-IQ initiative, developed in partnership with a specialist software provider. The project optimises EV charging and site-wide energy consumption at a live bus depot, allowing operators to maximise efficiency while reducing costs and environmental impact.
The judges praised the operator for using a fully operational depot as a real-world test bed, demonstrating the technology’s practicality and potential. Crucially, the system is scalable and can be rolled out across depots nationwide, laying the groundwork for more intelligent, data-driven charging strategies as the industry continues its transition to zero-emission bus fleets.
Bronze: First Bus and First Charge
Taking home Bronze was First Bus with First Charge, an initiative that builds on a scheme recognised at last year’s awards. This year, the operator expanded the approach, enabling external companies and individual customers to use EV charging points at bus depots across the UK round the clock.
The judges were impressed by how First Bus continues to challenge traditional depot boundaries, transforming underused infrastructure during off-peak periods into a valuable community and commercial asset. It’s smart, it’s efficient, and it unlocks wider societal benefits, exactly the kind of model that could help accelerate the UK’s broader transition to electric transport.
Finalists setting the pace
Two additional projects were highly commended as finalists: Translink’s Greener from the Ground Up and Grant Palmer’s Right Bus, Right Route.
Both demonstrate how thoughtful planning and targeted interventions can deliver meaningful environmental gains, from energy-efficient depot design to data-driven route optimisation. Their contributions highlight the diverse ways operators are rising to the sustainability challenge.
Sponsoring the Environmental Innovation category is always a privilege. The 2025 finalists and winners reflect a sector that is not only embracing change but actively driving it. Congratulations to all involved, your work continues to inspire an industry determined to deliver a greener future for passengers, communities, and the planet.
