With entries for the CiTTi Awards 2025 now open, City Transport & Traffic Innovation Magazine (CiTTi Magazine) has launched an exclusive series of Q&A interviews with the expert panel of judges responsible for assessing this year’s submissions.
In the weeks ahead, the magazine will shine a spotlight on each of the judges – a diverse group of leading professionals drawn from across the sustainable urban mobility and transport technology sectors – to explore their backgrounds, industry perspectives and what they’ll be looking for in an award-winning entry.
From public sector figures to academic and technical specialists, this year’s judging panel represents a broad spectrum of knowledge, insight and experience – all of which will help identify the most innovative, impactful and forward-thinking projects, products and people shaping the future of city transport and traffic innovation.
One of the judges taking part in the 2025 edition is Adrian Berendt, director of road safety organisation 20’s Plenty for Us.
Originally from Tunbridge Wells, Berendt has been a driving force behind the introduction of 20mph speed limits in Kent.
He also has more than 30 years experience in the financial services sector, specialising in finance, risk management, and change consulting.
He has served as a strategic advisor and trustee in the charity sector and chaired ACCA’s Governance Risk and Performance group.
Passionate about active travel and road danger reduction, he leads the 20’s Plenty for Us campaign across the South East.
Speaking to CiTTi Magazine, Berendt focused on how projects can ensure pedestrian safety whilst creating innovative, urban mobility projects that facilitate faster, more efficient transport.
Name: Adrian Berendt
Job title: Director
Organisation: 20’s Plenty for Us
How does your professional expertise align with the CiTTi Awards’ mission to recognise and celebrate innovation in urban mobility?
My background in risk and finance, combined with my interest and work in sustainable transport, this helps me to assess whether innovation is likely to bring lasting benefit to communities.
What emerging trends or technologies in urban mobility and transport are you most excited about, and how do you expect them to be reflected in this year’s submissions?
A combination of 3 things: an increasing realisation that the domination of the motor vehicle in our towns and cities is not sustainable; the acceptance of the need for lower vehicle speeds within our communities; and so far, automation in cars has focussed on benefits to drivers rather than to society as whole or non-motorised road users.
Advances such as ISA have been opposed by auto manufacturers and legislation watered down. With increasing automation and sophistication, the challenge will be whether such technology can be harnessed for the good of all to deliver a true safe system with zero road deaths and serious injury or will remain a marketing and driver-focussed benefit. Will increased automation enable the vehicle to drive (and for us to supervise) lead to an improved relationship between drivers and other road users?
As a judge, what insights do you hope to gain from reviewing the submissions, and how might this experience shape your perspective or influence your work in the sector?
I hope to see how far my instincts about how innovation will change urban mobility are borne out in practice
In your opinion, how do the CiTTi Awards contribute to driving meaningful progress and innovation in urban mobility, and why is industry recognition so important?
It brings a focus to what is really happening on the ground (rather than what we see on social and other media).
Can you share an example of an innovation or initiative that has significantly impacted urban mobility?
20mph in towns and cities is improving the relationship between those driving motor vehicles and other road users and enabling greater choice about how we move about.
What advice would you give to companies and organisations looking to submit an award-winning entry?
Ensure that it is addressing a real issue in a sustainable way and has the potential to be deliverable.
Achievements and innovations in urban mobility will be recognised and celebrated at the fourth annual CiTTi Awards on 25 November 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector!
