With the 2025 UK Bus Awards wrapped up, we’re proud to celebrate the CitySwift clients who were recognised as winners and finalists this year. It was a brilliant night for the industry, and a standout evening for many of our partners, capped by a well-deserved Lifetime Contribution to the Bus Industry award for Go-Ahead Group's Managing Director of UK Regional Bus, Martin Dean.
CitySwift were also delighted to sponsor the Environmental Innovation category for the fourth year running. Held at the iconic Troxy in London’s East End, the awards once again showcased the people, projects and organisations pushing the sector forward, particularly in the transition to cleaner, smarter and more sustainable transport. This category continues to be a natural fit for CitySwift, championing the ideas and technologies that challenge convention and make low-carbon mobility a reality.
Across the wider awards, CitySwift customers featured prominently, especially in the headline UK Bus Operator of the Year category where three of the four nominees were CitySwift partners. From Reading Buses’ data-driven Bronze, to Diamond Bus North West’s impressive Silver, to Blackpool Transport taking the top prize with standout punctuality, their success highlighted the ambition and innovation shaping bus operations across the UK.
With that, let’s take a closer look at this year’s Environmental Innovation winners and finalists, and the forward-thinking projects that impressed the judges.
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.
