The Intelligent Mobility Lead at Arup, Tim Gammons, has been named the winner of the prestigious Rees Hills Award for Outstanding Personal Contribution and Achievement at the annual ITS (UK) Awards.

He received the prize at the Annual President’s Dinner in Milton Keynes, sponsored by the Connected Places Catapult, SWARCO, Smart Video and Sensing and Clearview Intelligence.

The accolade, named after transport technology pioneers Neville Rees and Peter Hills, is the highest honour bestowed by the Intelligent Transport Systems industry association, recognising Mr Gammons’ 40 years at the forefront of developing technology-related products, controls and services for the safe and efficient movement of people and freight both in the UK and overseas.

Mr Gammons’ work has included numerous innovative projects including the creation of an open marketplace for data and travel services to influence travel behaviour and engage innovation SMEs into the sector, Smart Motorway development, Mobility Pricing and Clean Air Zones.

The judges said he “has supported many ITS (UK) initiatives over the years, and has made a magnificent contribution to our field, mentoring many up-and-coming professionals for the future.”

“It is a real honour to receive this award and be in the prestigious club of so many previous winners,” commented Mr Gammons. “To be recognised by colleagues past and the industry is really special. The industry and my employers have allowed me to travel the world and work on the beast projects, learn, but most of all meet and work with great people.  Thanks to ITS-UK and Arup for giving me the opportunity get involved and hopefully contribute in improving transport.”

Meanwhile, GRID Smarter Cities won Project of the Year for its Kerb product, that enables cross-modal deliveries through bookable parking spaces. This will not only help businesses improve operational efficiency and productivity but also alleviate some of the negative congestion and pollution impacts of road vehicle mileage in cities, and provide better safety for all users.

The judges said, “this is an exciting solution to alleviate congestion and improve air quality, with the potential to be a big export opportunity used around the world”.  GRID Smarter Cities founder Neil Herron commented, “We are proud and honoured to not only receive the ‘Better environment through technology’ award but also the prestigious  ‘Project of the Year’ award. As the world starts to embrace ITS and with ITS UK leading the way globally we would like to thank the ITS UK team and members for the support over the years while we positioned the kerb to be a facilitator and enabler of a smart, digital, connected urban ecosystem that will help deliver cleaner, greener policy outcomes for place, people and planet.”

The kerb solution was chosen as Project of the Year among five different projects recognised at the Awards.  It also won the Better Environment Through Technology Award.

Clearview Intelligence won Best Use of Data or Connectivity for its Insight journey time monitoring application, which is an integrated online application that revolutionises the monitoring, visualisation, and analysis of traffic journey times utilising floating vehicle data.  The judges said “this is a great example of how data and digital connectivity can lead to real life impacts”.

Atkins won the Inclusive Mobility Award for its Travel for All solution, which introduces volunteers to over 65s in Hampshire to help them travel independently, and has seen significant improvements in wellbeing, confidence and feelings of connection.  The judges said, “this is a great use of technology to help the vulnerable in society find it easier to travel”.

New member Acusensus, along with AECOM, National Highways and Warwickshire Police won the Enforcement Scheme of the Year award for its Heads Up solution, which uses CCTV analysis to automatically detect motorists who fail to wear a seatbelt or who illegally use a mobile phone, which judges called “an innovative approach that should be both scalable and offer an efficient way of detecting these offences compared to current methods.”

The Active Travel award went to Smart Video and Sensing for its Video Sensing Active Travel Cycle Data collection in Plymouth, which helps the city’s walking and cycling network be more connected, direct, safe, comfortable and attractive.  The judges said that in this hotly contested category, “All the nominations would have made for worthy winners, but in terms of pure, innovative spirit, this project had the edge.”

Smart Video and Sensing had a second winner, in the new Frontline Hero category.  This award honours someone who works for a member in a public-facing or on-network role who has made an outstanding contribution, and who understands and supports the value of technology in transport.  SVS Technical Manager Richard Quick won in recognition for his development of new and exciting solutions in collaboration with customers, who has gone above and beyond expectations by supporting clients on site at a moment’s notice any time of the day or night; even providing support from his cabin whilst on a cruise ship!

Another new award was the Jennie Martin Award for ITS Woman of the Year, named in honour of ITS (UK)’s retiring Secretary General.  This award went to Hannah Tune, ITS Development Lead at Transport for Greater Manchester for more than 20 years in the industry where she has gained a comprehensive wealth of experience, fulfilling various roles on her way to being one of the outstanding contributors and thought leaders in ITS.

Last but very much not least, the Eric Sampson Award for Early Careers Professional of the Year, named in honour of ITS (UK) Ambassador Eric Sampson, who has done so much throughout his career to support the next generation of ITS professionals, went to PhD student at the University of Leeds, Ejiro Ikoko.  Ejiro is in the first year of her PhD at the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds, researching how an inclusive multimodal Mobility as Service scheme could be designed as a solution to the mobility challenges for low income women in Lagos, Nigeria.

More than 60 nominations were received across nine categories in the biggest ITS (UK) Awards ever held.

Full list of winners:

Rees Hills Award for Outstanding Personal Contribution and Achievement

Tim Gammons – Intelligent Mobility Lead, Arup

Eric Sampson Award for Early Careers Professional of the Year

Ejiro Ikoko – PhD Student, University of Leeds

Jennie Martin Award for ITS Woman of the Year

Hannah Tune – ITS Development Lead, Transport for Greater Manchester

Frontline Hero

Richard Quick – Technical Manager, Smart Video and Sensing

Project of the Year

GRID Smarter Cities – Kerb

Best Use of Data or Connectivity

Clearview Intelligence – Insight Journey Time Monitoring Application

Highly Commended

Navtech Radar – Stopped Vehicle Detection

ITO World – Analyse Bus Open Data

Better Environment Through Technology

GRID Smarter Cities – Kerb

Highly Commended

SWARCO – Wensleydale Flood warning System

Costain – Remote Maintenance Access Service for National Highways

Inclusive Mobility

Atkins – Travel for All

Highly commended

INRIX – Identifying dangerous slowdowns

Enforcement Scheme of the year

Acusensus with AECOM, National Highways and Warwickshire Police – Heads Up, detecting motorists who fail to wear a seatbelt or illegally use a mobile phone

Highly Commended

Emovis – A smarter way of enforcing non-payment of tolls

Jenoptik – Solution for keeping the Orwell Bridge open in high winds

Active Travel

Smart Video and Sensing – Video Sensing Active Travel Cycle Data collection

Highly Commended

Clearview Intelligence – Connex Active Real time Pedestrian and Cycle Classifier

GEWI – TIC for Cycling