Scotland’s railways have a critical role to play in supporting the wider economy, our communities and Scotland’s push for Net Zero. However, the impact of the past two years presented a fundamental challenge to the scope, viability and purpose of rail as passenger numbers plummeted and travel patterns altered. What therefore needs to happen next to ensure rail in Scotland’s long-term sustainability?
The 12th Annual Scottish Rail Conference will explore the strategic recovery picture for rail. It will discuss what has been happening on the ground on projects, services and patronage and will focus on where Scottish rail goes from here.
Transport has experienced unprecedented change during the last two years – rail as much and perhaps more so than any other mode. Work and lifestyle patterns were altered. People experienced a world where the nature and purpose of travel was disrupted, perhaps permanently, for many. The long-term implications of this experience for rail on revenue, development, safety and climate sustainability are difficult to predict.
The evidence of what comes next appears mixed. Rail was estimated to have seen patronage fall at one stage to Victorian levels but had bounced back to sixty percent of normal levels by June of 2021. The Rail Delivery Group stated that in mid-October journeys to work by train were at just 45% of pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, despite the patronage challenge substantial infrastructure and project works have continued to be delivered throughout most of the pandemic. The new London to Edinburgh Lumo service was launched despite pandemic.
So, what is the real and enduring impact on rail going to be? Has project delivery in the current Control Period been slowed or enhanced and how will this affect the new period due to commence in 2024? What impact, if any, will there be upon the ScotRail franchise nationalisation from April 2022 onward? What are rail commuters now thinking and where do their ambitions lie? Is rail facing a period of declining passenger related stagnation or an opportunity for Net Zero driven investment in infrastructure and service growth?
This conference examines the core challenges – and perhaps opportunities - rail in Scotland faces in re-engineering and re-tooling its purpose and its future. Against this backdrop the conference will focus on three broad themes:
Benefits of attending
Who should attend
This conference will be relevant for anyone involved in the planning, building, maintenance or delivery of rail and rail services in Scotland. This includes train operating companies, engineering and infrastructure companies, regulators, transport lawyers, academics and managers, project managers and professional advisors, smart mobility and data specialists, those working in rail systems and services supply, freight and passenger companies and bodies, partners in the rail supply chain, associated transport systems and services and rail representative bodies.
Managing Director
Lumo
Minister for Transport
Scottish Government
Chief Digital and Innovation Officer
LNER
Head of Strategic Planning – Scotland
Network Rail
Director
E-Rail, E-Rail International and the George Hazel Consultancy and Board Member, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Transport for Edinburgh
Managing Director
Scotland’s Railway
Senior Engagement Manager
Transport Focus
Deputy Chief Ombudsman
Rail Ombudsman and Dispute Resolution Ombudsman
Jenny Gilruth MSP
Minister for Transport
Scottish Government
Jenny Gilruth MSP was appointed as the Minister for Transport in January 2022.
Brought up and educated in Fife, Jenny Gilruth is a graduate of Glasgow University, where she studied Politics and Sociology, and of Strathclyde University where she studied for her Postgraduate in Secondary Education (Modern Studies).
Prior to being elected in 2016, Jenny worked for over a decade in education, most recently as a Head of Department in a Fife secondary school.
Prior to that, Jenny worked at Education Scotland as NQ lead for Modern Studies, supporting the development of the new qualifications and also as a Modern Studies teacher.
Ms Gilruth was elected to represent the Mid Fife and Glenrothes Constituency at the 2016 election.
She was previously the Minister for Europe and International Development and Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development.
Danny Gonzalez
Chief Digital and Innovation Officer
LNER
Danny has spent over twenty years with responsibility for developing and implementing successful digital transformation, brand development, marketing, customer loyalty, and CRM strategies and solutions.
Over this time he has held senior roles at Virgin Atlantic, Virgin.com, Trainline, Virgin Trains, and now as Chief Digital and Innovation officer at LNER.
George Hazel OBE (Dr)
Director
E-Rail, E-Rail International and the George Hazel Consultancy and Board Member, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Transport for Edinburgh
Dr Hazel has extensive experience in all aspects of transport and communications, both urban and rural. He has specific expertise from around the world in strategic planning and policy development, the integration of transport with other related areas, future trends for mobility and smart mobility and innovative funding of transport infrastructure. He is known internationally for his expertise in how cities work, in Land Value Capture as a way to fund transport infrastructure, Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) and Mobility as a Service (MaaS).
He has studied transport policy and practice in many countries, both the successful and the unsuccessful, and has gained a detailed insight into the key issues and influences. He has worked in the public, private and academic sectors at a senior level and has acted as advisor to Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, the Connected Places Catapult, the Academy of Sustainable Communities, the Commission for Integrated Transport, Transport for London, the Queensland State Government, the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Region and Metrolinx, the National Bank of Canada, the City of San Diego and many Government agencies around the UK. He was an advisor to Cubic Transportation Services and is currently advising Moses/Flock He is a Director of E-Rail Ltd, specializing in Land Value Capture. He has been an advisor to a number of other private companies. He has published a book on Making Cities Work and has presented at a large number of conferences around the world. He was appointed Smart Mobility Network Integrator for Scottish Enterprise on the development of a Mobility as a Service from 2013 to 2016 and established the Scottish MaaS Alliance. He was then appointed as the Programme Manager for MaaS Scotland, a network of over 70 companies and public agencies hosted by Technology Scotland with ScotlandIS. He is currently a Board Member and Advisor to MaaS Scotland. He is a Non-Exec Board Member for Transport for Edinburgh and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. He also advised the Transport Catapult on Mobility as a Service for a Department of Transport report. He was a member of the Enabling Economic Growth Sub-Group of the Scottish National Transport Strategy Group, specifically advising on the potential of MaaS, and was Chair of a National Connectivity Commission on behalf of the Scottish Council for Development in Industry.
Alex Hynes
Managing Director
Scotland’s Railway
Skills and experience
Alex Hynes was appointed Managing Director of Scotland's Railway on 24 June 2019, following two years as Managing Director of the Scotrail Alliance.
Prior to this, Alex was Managing Director of the Northern franchise for three and half years where he successfully delivered their best-ever customer satisfaction scores as well as record levels of employee engagement.
An experienced transport professional, Alex has almost 20 years of industry experience and a proven track record of delivering rail improvement and investment programmes.
Having spent his early career as a consultant for Halcrow Fox, Alex worked with the Office of Rail Regulation before joining the Go-Ahead Group in 2005 as Strategic Planning Manager and, in 2007, as Commercial Director at London Midland, and finally as Managing Director – Rail Development.
Alex is Chair of the Institution of Railway Operators and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.
Responsibilities
Alex is the Managing Director of Scotland's Railway, a close working relationship between Abellio ScotRail and Network Rail in Scotland.
Scotland’s Railway covers a large geographical area from the Borders to Thurso at the far tip of the North East of Scotland. It provides rapid access along busy commuter routes to our 7 cities. It fulfils a variety of travel needs from business and leisure to daily commuter services, including cross border services; it supports rural services and the needs of freight customers alike.
Robert Samson
Senior Engagement Manager
Transport Focus
Robert liaises with all levels of Government and transport providers, advocates for the best deal for transport users, and uses our insight to secure improvements for transport users. He joined Transport Focus in 1999, after eighteen years working for British Rail.
Favourite journey: a hark back to childhood days during the summer holidays when we would join a mystery bus tour from Motherwell to some unknown exotic destination. The mystery lasted a few minutes - if the bus turned right it meant Troon or Saltcoats, left it meant Portobello. Happy days!
Judith Turner
Deputy Chief Ombudsman
Rail Ombudsman and Dispute Resolution Ombudsman
Judith read Law at King’s College London for 3 years before graduating with honours in 1998. She then went on to complete the Legal Practice Course (LPC) and a training contract before qualifying as a solicitor in 2001. She was previously employed by a City Law firm, practising in Commercial Law. Judith joined the Ombudsman in 2011 and now specialises in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
In 2018 Judith was instrumental in the establishment and implementation of the Rail Ombudsman. In her role as Deputy Chief Ombudsman of the Rail Ombudsman, Dispute Resolution Ombudsman and the Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman, she oversees decisions and recommendations and provides training and insight to the sectors and their stakeholders.
Judith is a regular speaker at industry and ombudsman conferences and events and is the current Chair of the Ombudsman Association Policy Network and serves as a member of the Civil Justice Council’s ADR Liaison Panel. She has written extensively on ADR and consumer issues and the co-author of the published Ombudsman content for Atkins Court Forms. She’s also an active member of the EU Consumer ADR collaboration TravelNet, giving her a wide and varied overview of consumer law and policy.
Judith is also now Deputy Ombudsman at the Independent Football Ombudsman.
Sponsor: London North Eastern Railway (LNER)
London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is on a mission to transform rail travel for the customers and communities we serve. Our modern Azuma fleet of trains are continuing the LNER tradition of setting new, higher standards in comfort, reliability and customer experience. LNER calls at more than 50 stations along the East Coast route, totalling 956 miles including major towns and cities between London, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, North East of England and Scotland.?
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