Northern Rail is celebrating thanks to success at this year’s ATOC Cycle Rail Awards, winning three of the top accolades on the night.
Northern’s Ian Hall scooped the Cycling Champion award, with Leeds CyclePoint winning the Innovation title and the various projects spearheaded by Northern took home the Partnership Working award.
Judges praised Ian Hall, Chair of the Northern Rail Cycle Forum, for being ‘an enthusiastic advocate of cycling both within Northern Rail and in his dealings with members of the public interested in cycling issues.’
Ian has produced a ‘Cycling’ section for the Northern Rail website, providing resources for cyclists and promoting cycle-rail integration.
He has also taken responsibility for managing the Northern Bike n Ride project, delivering new or improved cycle facilities at more than 100 Northern stations.
The Partnership Working award was won thanks to a number of initiatives across Northern’s network, aimed at understanding the needs of cyclists or in some case their barriers to using their bikes to travel to stations or on trains.
Over the summer Northern has worked with more than 50 organisations and volunteers to deliver its series of Bike n Ride initiatives.
Leeds CyclePoint, delivered in partnership with Northern’s parent company Abellio, was awarded the Innovation award for being the first operation of its kind in the UK.
The facility at Leeds station offers secure bike storage, cycle repair, cycle hire, equipment sales and cycling information.
Customers are provided with expert help from Evans cycle staff and judges commented that Leeds CyclePoint ‘demonstrates an innovative new concept that promotes cycling to stations, helping to encourage additional passengers.’
Ian Bevan, Managing Director of Northern Rail, comments:
“We are thrilled to be recognised for our efforts in the cycling sector as it’s a real focus for us as a business, to encourage more passengers to use sustainable methods of onward transport.”
The awards were held at the Houses of Parliament on 2 November 2011.
