Williams to outline need for joined-up transport system

Keith Williams, independent chair of the Williams Rail Review, will explain the importance of a joined-up transport system during a free virtual conference, held by RAIL’s sister brand Smart Transport, next week (June 8-9). 

The recently published Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, billed as “the biggest change to the railways in 25 years”, is set to integrate railways and deliver passenger-focused travel. 

Report author Williams (pictured) will be speaking on day one (June 8) of the conference. As well integration, he will discuss decarbonisation and innovation in the rail sector. 

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Following his presentation, Williams will be taking part in live Q&A panel, along with Huw Merriman, chair of the Transport Select Committee and Anthony Smith, chief executive of Transport Focus.  

Williams is one of a number of high-profile speakers at the event, which is being chaired by Stephen Joseph OBE.  

Kwasi Kwarteng, the secretary of state at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), will be the keynote speaker on June 8 and will outline BEIS’s approach to decarbonising transport, particularly the electrification of the vehicle industry.  

On day two (June 9), Rachel Maclean, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Transport, will discuss the future of transport post-pandemic.  

Eight breakout sessions across the two days will also pick up on the pandemic and decarbonisation and themes of the conference. 

The topics are: addressing urban air quality; place-based solutions to decarbonise transport; switching to electric; achieving modal shift; decarbonising freight; transport outside cities; data and new mobility trends; and universal and inclusive transport. 

Smart Transport would like to thank its Headline Strategic Partners for their support with this virtual event including ABB, Centrica, Daf Trucks, Enterprise, FedEx, Geotab, LeasePlan, Liberty Charge, Macquarie, Raleigh, Renault and Worldline. 

Conference website: conference.smarttransport.org.uk.