Date/Time
Date(s) - October 15 2020 - October 16 2020
All Day
Location
This event will take place online.
ALL REGISTERED DELEGATES SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED LOGIN INFORMATION FOR THE CONFERENCE PLATFORM. IF YOU ARE AN EXHIBITOR YOU WILL ALREADY HAVE THIS INFORMATION AS YOU ALREADY HAVE YOUR ACCOUNT SET UP.
IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED LOGIN DETAILS PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM/JUNK FOLDER. THE EMAIL WILL APPEAR TO COME FROM RAIL FORUM MIDLANDS.
IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR LOGIN PLEASE CONTACT KAREN OR ELAINE ASAP. RFM ARE NOT ABLE TO ISSUE LOGINS THESE COME FROM THE CONFERENCE ORGANISERS SO WE WILL NEED TO REQUEST THESE IN ADVANCE OF THE EVENT.
KAREN@MIDLANDSRAIL.CO.UK OR ELAINECLARK@MIDLANDSRAIL.CO.UK
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Our flagship conference is sponsored by our Patrons, Gold and Silver Members.
Welcome to our 2020 Annual Conference!
Rail Forum Midlands is the only regionally based trade association for the rail industry. Providing a range of services for our members the Annual Conference is always a key event in our calendar and whilst this year will be a bit different to normal we have a packed schedule of presentations and discussions spread over two days with ‘something for everyone’. This year has turned out different to what we all envisaged at the start of January with the Covid19 pandemic bringing totally unexpected challenges. Train operators (TOCs) have seen drastic reductions in passenger numbers and the government recently signalled an end to franchising at the same time as agreeing Emergency Recovery Measures Agreements with the TOCs. Network Rail has continued on its devolution journey and the UK government has promised a ‘green recovery’ further raising the profile of decarbonising the railway.
Looking forward one thing is for sure our railway is changing; we all need to get to grips with what that future will look like and where the opportunities will be. Our conference theme
Planning for the Journey Ahead
will set us all firmly on that track. We encourage you to get involved; hear from our speakers, ask questions, visit our conference sponsors, take the opportunity to network with old friends and make some new ones along the way.
A single registration for the event will provide access to all the content across both days and will include:
Conference: hear from our speakers and panellists and take part in the live Q&A on the day. If you can’t make the specific time slot for a presentation you will be able to access this after the event to listen to it at your leisure.
Networking: all delegates will be able to network with each other in the virtual environment and fix up one to one chats/meetings in the times allocated over the two days.
Sponsor Exhibitors: all delegates will be able to visit our sponsor exhibition booths and arrange meetings or follow up discussions with them.
Meet Your Board and RFM Team Networking Session: of particular value to our newer members this short networking session will be open to all our members to catch up with the Board, hear about what they are doing to support members and pose any questions you have.
Conference Programme
Thursday 15th October Session One: The Landscape for the Journey Ahead
9.00am – 11.00am
Contributions and presentations:
- Keynote Address: Jim McMahon MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
- Moving on from Covid: Rail Priorities for the East Midlands: Andrew Pritchard, EMCC
- Rail Reforms Arriving Soon What’s Next for the Train Operators? : Richard Evans, RDG
- East Midlands Route : Putting Passengers First: Gary Walsh, Network Rail
- Collaboration in a Changing Railway: Will Rogers, EMR
Following Session One there will be plenty of time for networking with colleagues and there will also be a “Meet the Board and RFM Team” networking session. Whilst this will be especially useful for newer members it will of course be open to anyone to join.
1.00pm – 1.45pm Meet the Board
Thursday 15th October Session Two: Decarbonising the Journey Ahead
2.00pm – 4.00pm
Contributions and presentations:
- Keynote Address: Nadhim Zahawi MP, Department for BEIS Minister, Rail Supply Chain
- Role of the Net Zero Transport Board: Leon Daniels, Member of the Secretary of State’s Net Zero Transport Board
- Introducing The Traction Network Decarbonisation Strategy:Stephen Hart, Network Rail
- Rail Freight’s Role in Delivering the Green Recovery: Maggie Simpson, RFG
- HydroFLEX Mainline Testing: A Stepping Stone to Decarbonisation: Helen Simpson, Porterbrook
- Rail Supply Group : Act Now! Discussion: Anna Ince, Anna Delvecchio and Chris Swan
Friday 16th October Session Three: Delivering the Journey Ahead
9.00am – 11.00am
Contributions and presentations:
- A Capital Audience – Interview with Rob Cairns and Eoin O’Neill, Network Rail
- Putting Manufacturing and Infrastructure at the Heart of the Midlands Recovery: Matt Byrne, Bombardier Transportation
- Very Light Rail…Transport Solutions for the Future: Martin Pemberton, TDI
- Smart Assisted Maintenance and the AMRC: Richard Gardiner, AMRC
- Building Passenger Confidence Post Covid: Mark Gaynor RDG
Also now confirmed Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris.
RFM Members: All members are entitled to complimentary places. As the event is now online and over two days we are making additional places available to all members, this will also allow you to split attendance across different sessions if you wish. Please tick request to be invoiced at the end of the booking but note you will NOT be invoiced for this event.
Non RFM Members: Non members are welcome to attend our conference for a fee. Tickets are priced at £150 plus VAT. Please note that all bookings must be paid for in advance of the event. Contact elaineclark@midlandsrail.co.uk for further details.
All bookings can be made below. Deadline for registration is 8 October.
