South Yorkshire’s bus and train stations have been highly commended after winning two prestigious awards on the same night.
Sheffield Station won the national IHT/Mouchel Parkman Accessibility Award by the Institute of Highways and Transportation in London, while back in Yorkshire Frenchgate Interchange, (in Doncaster) was presented with the 'Design Excellence Award' at the Yorkshire Renaissance Awards 2007.
The IHT/Mouchel Parkman Accessibility Award was presented to South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) for the improvements that were made to Sheffield Station to make it easier for all passengers to access.
The accessibility improvements were part of a £50 million programme, which has transformed Sheffield Station and its surroundings into a modern transport facility and a world-class gateway to the city.
Throughout the project SYPTE worked with an access liaison group to investigate what changes could be made to improve accessibility for all users.
The types of improvements that were introduced included introduction of accessible lifts, toilets and counters and ensuring there was distinctive markings, both colour coordinated and textured, on every platform to warn people they are getting close to the edge.
At the Yorkshire Renaissance Awards 2007 Frenchgate was described by judges as having transformed a previously run down area into a fantastic shopping destination for people across the region and that the project is a 'proud achievement for Doncaster’.
The award ceremony, which was hosted at the Queens Hotel, Leeds, celebrates the very best in building design, regeneration, planning and architectural vision in the Yorkshire region.
Frenchgate is the 18th largest shopping centre in the UK and it is the only one of its kind in the country to combine integrated public transport and retail under one roof in the heart of a town centre.
With over 120 shops, a fully integrated 30 stand bus station and a seamless link to the railway station shoppers can now step off public transport and straight into the new shopping centre.
Speaking about winning the awards SYPTE Passenger Services Director, David Brown, said: "We are delighted that two of our projects have been awarded these prestigious accolades. We work hard in South Yorkshire to ensure all our interchanges and train stations are of world class standards and we are pleased that this has been recognised across the UK. In both ceremonies we were up against tough competition; however we have managed to show that South Yorkshire is driving forward on the public transport front."
Nigel Foster, Director of Arup, involved in both projects, adds, "At the outset of the Frenchgate Interchange project in the early 1990s Arup undertook the initial feasibility study for SYPTE. In addition Arup prepared the Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) Bid Submission to SRA for the refurbishment of Sheffield Midland Station, which was the largest RPP funding award for an infrastructure project. It is fantastic to see both of these projects delivered and benefiting public transport passengers in South Yorkshire."
SYPTE is a member of the Travel South Yorkshire partnership.
The aim of the partnership is to bring public transport together, encourage more people to use it, make it easier to understand and deliver new, innovative public transport products and services.
Travel South Yorkshire is the new identity of the public transport network in South Yorkshire.