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CT’23 Speakers, Agenda and Sessions
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We look forward to welcoming you to the CT’23 Conference & Awards!
Date: 23 November 9:30 am – 4pm (for the Conference)
The CT’23 Awards will be held in the evening at the same venue. Drinks reception starts at 6:30 pm.
Location: The Atrium, Concourse Suite, NEC, Birmingham B40 1NT (Only a few minutes walk from the Birmingham International Train Station).
Find the details here of who will be joining us on the day.
CT’23 Conference Agenda
TIMELINE SESSIONS 9:30 am – 10:00 am Coffee on arrival and registration 10:00 am – 10:15 am Welcome by CTA’s CEO, Dr Victoria Armstrong 10:15 am – 11.30 am
Panel Discussions Unlocking the future: The evolving role of Community Transport in Digital DRT
Chair: David Kelly, Director for Scotland, CTA
Speakers:
- Meera Nayyar, Head of Digital Mobility/Mobility Data, Department for Transport
- Louise Currie, CEO, Lydney Dial-a-Ride
- Jonathan Padmore, Senior Strategy Officer, Tactran
- Hattie James, Project Officer, SEStran
Navigating the world of Community Transport Permits and Licensing – Insights from the Panel
Chair: Roger Goodwin, Director of People and Operations, CTA
Speakers:
- Kevin Rooney, Traffic Commissioner for the West of England
- Caroline Whitney, Director for England, CTA
- John Furzeland, Head of Traffic Commissioner Policy, OTC
11.30 am – 11.40 am Comfort break Workshop Session 1 11:40 am – 12:30 pm Modernising MiDAS
Speakers:
- Rachel Bealing, Community Transport Team Assistant Manager, Hampshire County Council
- Lisa Cook, Public Transport Manager, Hampshire County Council
- Dylan Gallanders, Training Manager, CTA
- Noeleen Lynch, Director for Northern Ireland, CTA
The Use of Data and Insight for Community Transport
Speakers:
- Tom Jarvis, Principal Social Researcher, Transport for the North
- Marie Monks-Hawksworth, CEO, Friendly Bus Transport
- Nick Mills, Research and Insight Manager, CTA
Innovation Is Not Just Digital: Thinking Outside the Box in the Delivery of Your Services
Speakers:
- Fitzroy Dawson, CEO, Merton Community Transport
- Collen Sutcliffe, Community Development and Training Coordinator
- Paul Harrington, Blaenau Gwent Car Scheme Co-Ordinator
- Sachá Petrie, Community Development Officer – Sustainable Transport
Are you funding ready?
Speaker:
- Gemma Lelliott, CTA Director for Wales
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Lunch Break 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm CTA: Our foundations and our future (inc. AGM) 2.30 pm – 2.45 pm Coffee break Workshop Session 2 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm Positively Green: Environmental Sustainability in community transport
Speakers:
- Dr Dilum Dissanayake, Associate Professor in Human Geography and Transportation Planning, University of Birmingham.
- Dr Chris Endacott, Senior Consultant, Gfleet Services Ltd
Creating A Strong Legacy through Succession Planning – An Operator Perspective
Speakers:
- Margaret Sutherland MBE, CEO, South Denbighshire Community Partnership
- Caroline Wilson, Manager, Preseli Rural Transport
Innovation in Rural Communities
Speakers:
- Wil Parry, Project Manager, O Ddrws i Ddrws
- Marie Monks-Hawksworth, CEO, Friendly Bus Transport
Campaigning for Change: A Manifesto for Community Transport
Speakers:
- David Kelly, Director for Scotland, CTA
- David Dawkins, Wales Transport Strategy Implementation Officer
- Josiah Deakin, Policy and Research Officer, CTA
Demonstrating Social Value – A Toolkit for the Sector
Speakers:
- John Chesters, CEO, ECT
- Becky Casement, Deputy CEO, ECT
3.45 pm – 4:00 pm Close of Conference
Alan B Jones, Chair of the Board of Trustees, CTA
Break in proceedings ahead of the Community Transport Awards
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Community Transport Awards – Drinks Reception
Join us ahead of the Community Transport Awards for a drink and a chat with your fellow participants.
7:30 pm – Till late The Community Transport Awards – Dinner and Presentations
With a three-course dinner and the presentation of 10 exciting awards, we’ll come together as a sector with our friends and supporters to celebrate the amazing work of community transport.
CT’23 Sessions and Summaries
Session Topics Summary Unlocking the Future: The Evolving Role of Community Transport in Digital DRT Are you curious about the dynamic landscape of Community Transport in the digital era? Ready to explore the incredible opportunities that lie ahead? Our panel of experts will dive deep into the emerging world of Digital Demand-Responsive Transport (DRT) and MaaS (Mobility as a Service) and how community transport is adapting to the digital age. Our experts will share real-world examples of successful operations.
We are pleased to be joined on the panel by Meera Nayyar, Head of Digital Mobility and Mobility Data at the Department for Transport, Louise Currie from Lydney Dial-a-ride sharing her experiences of a current DDRT scheme and Jonathan Padmore from Tactran and Hattie James from SEStran in Scotland, who were successful in obtaining round 1 funding from Transport Scotland’s “MaaS Investment fund” to deliver Mobility as a service (MaaS) across the region.
Navigating the world of Community Transport Permits and Licensing Ensuring the utmost safety, compliance, and operational efficiency stands as the top priority within the Community Transport (CT) sector. Central to this vital mission is the intricate network of permit and licensing requirements. Join us at our conference panel session to gain invaluable insights from industry leaders. Discover how the CTA, in collaboration with key partners, is diligently shaping a comprehensive understanding and implementation of permits while upholding safety as the paramount concern.
We are delighted to hear from panellists, including Kevin Rooney, Traffic Commissioner for the West of England, and John Furzeland, Head of Traffic Commissioner Policy at the Office for the Traffic Commissioner.
Workshops Morning Sessions Modernising MiDAS
MiDAS has been the nationally recognised standard for driver training for nearly 30 years. On 2nd January 2024, CTA will be proudly launching the first phase of the MiDAS transformation. But that’s just the beginning. Help us to define the next phase of the transformation as we begin work to modernise MiDAS Accessible, the Passenger Assistants Training Scheme, and MiDAS Car & MPV. The Power of Harnessing Data and Insight in Community Transport This panel will explore the ways in which data and insights can be harnessed to improve community transport services. It will be followed by a Q & A session, to discuss the importance of data, user-centric approach, technology integration, improved accessibility, data privacy, and future trends.
There will also be examples from the sector, highlighting organisational learning about ways to collect robust data and share insight with stakeholders and funders.
Innovation Is Not Just Digital: Thinking Outside the Box in the Delivery of Your Services This session will explore dynamic and forward-thinking approaches for optimizing the delivery of CT services. It will highlight the role of emerging technologies such as EVs, shared mobility platforms, digital platforms, environmental sustainability, and community engagement.
During the session, we will engage with various CT providers to share success stories and case studies. Please note that the session’s content may evolve as we collaborate with these providers, fostering a UK-wide mapping of cutting-edge service delivery innovations.
Campaigning for Change: A Manifesto for Community Transport The next UK General Election is a fantastic opportunity for the Community Transport sector to influence the policies and priorities of a newly elected parliament and government at Westminster.
Join us for this interactive presentation and workshop session on how CTA and CTA members will come together to campaign for change in 2024. You’ll have the opportunity to a) learn more about and get a preview of CTA’s Manifesto; b) have the final say on our key messages and recommendations; and c) shape and be part of our campaign to engage and influence party candidates and leaders across the UK.
Afternoon Sessions Positively Green: Environmental Sustainability in community transport How ‘green’ is the UK’s Community Transport sector? What does successful climate action look like in CT? How can you benefit from improving your ‘green’ credentials as an organisation?
This informative and engaging session will discuss how you can diversify your CT operation all while reducing your carbon footprint as an organisation – a win for you and a win for the planet!
We’ll be joined by two experienced industry professionals to discuss and answer questions on opportunities that exist within fleet decarbonisation, active travel scheme development and much more!
Creating A Strong Legacy through Succession Planning – An Operator Perspective Community transport schemes are run by dedicated, skilled and passionate individuals who are instrumental in their organisation’s success. This can also make the organisation particularly vulnerable to the sudden departure of key people.
Join us for an operator’s perspective to discuss the critical role of succession planning in maintaining operational continuity and preserving the legacy of CT service providers. We will discuss the importance of succession planning, long-term vision, identifying and developing talent, mentoring and knowledge transfer challenges & obstacles, with case studies.
Innovation in Rural Communities Rural communities often face unique challenges when it comes to accessible and sustainable transportation solutions. This session aims to showcase how innovative strategies are being implemented to overcome these challenges and create a brighter future for rural residents. This panel discussion brings together a distinguished group of rural community transport providers who are pioneers in three key areas: Demand-Responsive Transport (DRT), Electrification of Vehicles, and Collaborative Consortiums. They will each give a presentation on their work and then be open to questions from the audience. Join us to gather practical insights and innovative strategies to better your rural community and services. Are you funding-ready? In this session, CTA Director for Wales, Gemma Lelliott, will share funding insights and expertise to help you ‘gear up’ to bid for and win funding for your vital services. Taking advice from successful bid writers, grant assessors, support organisations, and those who’ve learned their lessons the hard way, we’ll look at what it takes to be ‘funding ready’ and explore some practical examples drawn from CT Operators across the UK. We’ll look at practical questions like policies and paperwork, telling your story in a way that makes funders pay attention. Attendees will leave with practical ideas to implement as soon as they get back to the office. Demonstrating Social Value – A Toolkit for the Sector Join the ‘Demonstrating Social Value’ workshop for an overview of the current toolkit and insights into planned updates. Engage in discussions on refining the next version and share your perspectives on what should be recorded and evidenced. This interactive session invites delegates to actively shape the toolkit, ensuring it aligns with diverse sector needs. Don’t miss the opportunity to contribute to the evolution of social impact assessment tools in this collaborative and dynamic workshop. Witness the magic of community spirit in action. Buy Your Tickets!
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