Pell Frischmann projects Shortlisted at CIHT’s West Midlands Awards 2026

We’re delighted to announce that Digbeth High Street Regeneration and the Mobility Hub & Car Club Strategy projects have both been shortlisted at this year’s CIHT West Midlands Awards 2026.

Digbeth High Street Regeneration has been shortlisted in two categories: Best Large Project 2026 and the Collaboration Award. As part of the Midland Metro Alliance (MMA), we were commissioned by Birmingham City Council (BCC) to remodel Digbeth High Street.

The regeneration of Digbeth High Street presented a unique challenge and a significant opportunity to transform one of Birmingham’s most dynamic urban areas. The project aimed to enhance the public realm, creating a distinct identity for the area while meeting BCC’s requirements.

Working side-by-side within MMA’s integrated team, stakeholder collaboration was central to the project’s success. Our Urban Mobility specialists led a series of co-design workshops with landscape architects, transport operators, businesses, developers, and cultural organisations. This multi-sector group helped define the vision, shape objectives, and influence the preferred option – balancing operational needs with aspirations for a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable Digbeth.

Through co‑design and collaborative governance, this project transformed a key city corridor – integrating the Birmingham Eastside Metro with a truly inclusive public realm and powering the regeneration of Birmingham’s creative and cultural quarter.

In addition, the Mobility Hub & Car Club Strategy has been shortlisted in the Innovation and Research Award category. The project developed an evidence-led, scalable framework and pilot design to support the delivery of integrated shared mobility hubs across Birmingham.

Representing a step-change in shared mobility planning, the strategy moves beyond traditional silos of car clubs, micromobility, and public transport. It establishes a coordinated framework that positions mobility hubs as multi-functional community assets – supporting mode shift, reducing car dependency, and enabling more efficient land use.

The Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) West Midlands Awards 2026 is an annual programme recognising outstanding achievement, innovation, and excellence across the West Midlands  highways and transportation sector.

“We’re proud to see both projects recognised by the CIHT West Midlands Awards. It reflects the strength of collaboration and innovation at the heart of everything we do at Pell Frischmann. Together, these projects show how thoughtful, integrated urban mobility planning can deliver meaningful change – supporting more sustainable travel choices and creating better environments for communities.”

Himanshu Budhiraja, Pell Frischmann, Urban Mobility Sector Director

We wish all the entrants the best of luck!