The Young Bus Managers Network (YBMN) conference that is to be held at the Royal Beach Hotel in Southsea on Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 October is fully booked with 85 delegates, the organisers have said.
Keynote speaker at an event that was originally scheduled to be held in spring 2020 is First Bus Managing Director Janette Bell. Her attendance continues a YBMN strength of attracting the industry’s most senior figure to address delegates. Ms Bell will speak on the morning of the second day of the conference.
Activities will kick off on the first day of the conference with an afternoon tour hosted by First Hampshire and Dorset and Hampshire County Council. It will show attendees the Portsmouth A3 bus priority scheme and the Eclipse busway between Fareham and Gosport.
First’s Hoeford garage will also host delegates, continuing a tradition of depot visits that “are always popular” with attendees, says YBMN Co-Patron James Freeman.
Mr Freeman adds that a key part of the 2021 YBMN conference is a Dragons’ Den-esque panel. It will see collaborative ideas drawn up by delegates go before a group of guest experts for review. They will include Transport Focus Senior Stakeholder Manager Louise Collins, Go North East Managing Director Martijn Gilbert, Transdev Blazefield CEO Alex Hornby and Portsmouth City Council Rapid Transit Development Manager Peter Shelley.
Other speakers include BBC transport correspondent for the South Paul Clifton, who will deliver the after-dinner address, industry analyst Chris Cheek and Wightlink Ferries CEO Keith Greenfield.
Mr Freeman advises that the next Young Bus Managers Network event, which will be held in spring 2022, is set to take place in Cardiff.
