Nissan GB has taken top honours in the LowCVP Low Carbon Champions Awards, winning the Low Carbon Car and Van Manufacturer of the Year, and the Outstanding Achievement Award for Low Carbon Transport.
Iveco UK won the Low Carbon Heavy Duty Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year; Stagecoach Group took the Low Carbon Vehicle Operator of the Year; and Coca Cola Enterprisesand Gasrec won the Low Carbon Fuel Initiative of the Year.
Meanwhile, Flybrid Systems LLP won the 2011 Award for Low Carbon Innovation by an SME; WhipCar took the Low Carbon Road Transport Initiative of the Year prize; and the Outstanding Individual in Promoting Low Carbon Transport Award went jointly to Stephen Joseph, chief executive, Campaign for Better Transport, and Richard Parry-Jones, Industry Chair, Automotive Council.
The LowCVP Low Carbon Champions Awards recognise best practice in key areas from vehicle manufacturing and fleet operation to the development of products and services that reduce greenhouse gases from road transport operations.
The Awards presentation was preceded by a keynote speech from Tony Juniper, independent environmental adviser, writer and former executive director of Friends of the Earth.
"It's all too easy to take a back-seat on this agenda," said Juniper. "We need much more leadership. The winners of these LowCVP Awards have demonstrated leadership in their various fields. We need more individuals and organisations like them."
"These Awards recognise best practice and innovation, highlighting leadership in accelerating the shift to lower carbon vehicles and fuels," added Greg Archer, managing director of the LowCVP. "The number and quality of entries was even higher than last year which shows the level of energy and enthusiasm that exists to create new markets for lower carbon vehicles."