The speaker line-up for the first UK Bus and Coach Conference, to be held virtually on 12-13 January 2021, has been announced.
Organised by the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), the Conference will be opened by Transport Minister Baroness Vere. She will deliver a keynote speech on the future of the coach and bus industry.
Headline speakers on day one will be Woods Travel of Bognor Regis Managing Director (MD) Kristy Elsmere and Transdev Blazefield CEO Alex Hornby. Ms Elsmere will look at how coach tourism operators can adapt to a changing market in the wake of coronavirus COVID-19. Mr Hornby will talk about how Transdev has instilled a sense of confidence in its passengers during the pandemic.
Day two will see McGill’s Buses Chief Executive Ralph Roberts host a panel discussion involving representatives of leading vehicle manufacturers. They will talk about the coaches and buses of tomorrow and their plans to ensure that they meet the needs of operators and passengers.
Also on the second day, CPT President-elect Jane Cole, MD of Blackpool Transport, will share her views on the impact that coronavirus COVID–19 has had on working cultures and behaviour; and Richard Grey, MD of Greys of Ely, will explain how the Cambridgeshire coach operator is adapting its business to a changing market.
Completing day two will be a round table discussion led by routeone Editor Tim Deakin. It will involve First Bus MD Giles Fearnley – who will have retired by the time of the Conference – and his successor Janette Bell. Mr Fearnley and Ms Bell will share their thoughts on the future of the bus industry.
Other confirmed speakers at the two-day event include:
- Pete Bond, Director of Integrated Network Services, Transport for West Midlands
- David Bradford, MD, National Express Bus
- Sonya Byers, Chief Executive, Women in Transport
- Kathryn Pulham, Director, Pulham’s Coaches
- Katy Taylor, Chief Strategy and Customer Officer, Go-Ahead Group.
Attendance at the Bus and Coach Conference is free for CPT members and local authority officers. For non-CPT members the delegate fee is £300 per person. Registration can be completed via this link.
