Decarbonising Transport Awards 2026: confirmed judges revealed before entries open next month

The Decarbonising Transport Awards 2026 will open for entries on 6 October, and Landor LINKS is proud to announce the expert judging panel that will be considerting entries across the 16 award categories, covering all aspects of transport decarbonisation from innovation, leadership, freight, active travel and public transport.

The Awards ceremony will take place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, on Friday 27th March 2026.

The Decarbonising Transport Awards are organised to recognise the individuals, teams, partnerships and innovations that are providing genuine leadership and unwavering efforts to reduce carbon across the transport industry. 

To date, 11 judges have been confirmed from a range of professional backgrounds and fields of expertise, and additional judges will be added to the line-up before entries formally open next month. Confirmed judges include:

• Glenn Lyons, President of the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT) and Mott MacDonald Professor of Future Mobility, University of the West of England

• Jessica Matthew, Director, Local and Regional Transport Strategy, Department for Transport

• Greg Marsden, Professor of Transport Governance, University of Leeds

• Jillian Anable, Professor of Transport and Energy, University of Leeds, Institute for Transport Studies

• David Connolly, Director of Low Carbon Mobility, SYSTRA

• Sarah Sharples, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Manchester and former Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Transport

• Simon Shapcott, Net Zero Director for Transportation, AtkinsRéalis

• Catriona Swanson, Strategic Lead - Sustainable Transport and Directorate Equalities Lead, Manchester City Council

• Alistair Kirkbride, Director, Low Carbon Destinations

• Anne Snelson, Certified Carbon Literacy Project Trainer, Lead With Sustainability

• Nick Ruxton-Boyle, Technical Director, Citisense

The judging process has been carefully planned to ensure complete indepence. Entries into the 16 categories – orgainsed into three sections including People & Teams Awards, Category Awards and Special Awards – will be reviewed by a several independent judges with expertise in that area.

Says Daniel Simpson, co-Managing Director at Landor LINKS: “We are committed to ensuring a transparent, fair and rigorous judging process that recognises meaningful impact, ambition and replicability.

“Each submission will be reviewed and scored by multiple judges to ensure a balanced and impartial outcome.”

Simpson added: “The Decarbonising Transport Awards are about more than recognition – they’re about momentum. By celebrating the work being done today, we aim to inspire even greater progress tomorrow. We're incredibly proud to create a platform that supports and spotlights those shaping a cleaner, fairer transport future.”

Understanding the importance of both transport decarbonisation and recognising the individuals and teams who are delivering quality schems across the UK, the Decarbonising Transport Awards has secured two key headline sponsors, Systra and AtkinsRealis, with many more coming on board in the weeks ahead to support specific categories.

“The Decarbonising Transport Awards are a vital platform to showcase what’s working, and to inspire others to act,” says Simon Shapcott, Net Zero Director for Transportation at AtkinsRéalis.

Says Chris Judge, Consultancy Director, SYSTRA: “This sponsorship reflects our deep commitment to helping create a cleaner, fairer transport system for all. It also gives us the opportunity to celebrate the organisations, partnerships and projects that are turning ambition into measurable progress.”

Decarbonising Transport and achieving net zero is the biggest challenge facing the transport industry.  

“The awards provide inspiration, best practice and tangible benefits to the wider sector as well as recognise the achievements of those that are going the extra mile,” says Daniel Simpson. 

“The choices we make today will be judged tomorrow. And in the face of the climate crisis, the need to celebrate bold action, visionary leadership, and tangible progress in decarbonising transport has never been greater,” he adds.

“The Decarbonising Transport Awards fill a long-overdue gap. They will not only recognise innovation and commitment, but serve as a beacon for others to follow.”

If you’d like to get involved in these Awards, please contact daniel@landor.co.uk 

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Further information about the Decarbonising Transport Awards 2026 can be found on the event website, including Awards categories, timelines and information about the Judging panel.