International awards given to BKK Centre for Budapest Transport

Having been nominated by Tramway & Urban Transit magazine, BKK Centre for Budapest Transport won the Global Light Rail Award 2013 in the category of Worldwide Project of the Year for reforming the transport governance system in Budapest.

The 2013 Awards was the 8th annual event and the biggest yet with guests from six different countries and over 150 entries across all the categories. The judging panel for 2013 was led by Howard Johnston, publisher of Tramways & Urban Transit and Steering Group member of the Light Rapid Transit Forum and Andrew Braddock, Chairman of the Light Rail Transit Association with consultation and technical expertise drawn from a pool of many experts with relevant experience relating to the individual categories, including members of UITP and various trade associations.

BKK and the Budapest Transport Company (BKV) were also jointly highly commended in the category of Team of the Year for their teamwork provided during the floods in June 2013.. This recognition is given on the basis of special criteria for such work that go beyond just the ‘normal day-to-day responsibilities’.

On account of the Danube floods, Budapest’s transport had to be reorganised; colleagues in the dispatch centre, in passenger information services, in the department of road and public transport, as well as on-site traffic management experts along with BKV’s metro and suburban railway divisions performed extraordinary work. This award signifies that based on the special measures of Mayor István Tarlós municipally-owned companies BKK and BKV in collaboration with the police and disaster management planned and implemented the reorganisation of transport with great success.

The judges were highly impressed with the BKK-BKV team’s quick response and action in safeguarding both the transport system and passenger safety to keep Budapest moving. The quick-thinking and implementation of the reorganisation plan prevented what could have caused more serious and longer-lasting disruption to Budapest transport.

Photo: bkk.hu

Source: http://www.bkk.hu/