Don’t miss RIA’s Devolution Week!

In 2021, devolved nations and regions across the UK will go to the polls to elect Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) in Scotland, Assembly Members (AMs) in London, Members of the Senedd (MS) in Wales, and Mayors in London, the Midlands and the North.

All next week, from 8 to 12 March 2021, the Railway Industry Association (RIA), with partners Northern Rail Industry Leaders, will be delivering a Devolution Week to explore the key rail issues facing these devolved nations and regions.

The week will involve a virtual event each day, covering Scotland, London, the Midlands, the North and Wales respectively. Each session will include a panel discussion with leading industry speakers and decision makers from that nation and region, followed by a workshop for the industry to feed into the devolved manifestos RIA will be drafting in the run up to the elections.

Speakers include:

• Bill Reeve, Director of Rail, Transport Scotland;

• Maria Machancoses, Director, Midlands Connect;

• Tim Smart, Managing Director, Phase 2, HS2;

• Debbie Francis OBE, City Executive for the Northern Powerhouse, Arcadis;

• Simon Jones, Director for Economic Infrastructure, Welsh Government;

• Laura Osborne, Director of Strategic Communications and Campaigns, London First;

• Tim Wood, Northern Powerhouse Director, Transport for the North;

• Sara Thiam, Chief Executive, Scottish Council for Development and Industry;

• Mike Gallop, Interim Managing Director, Wales and Western, Network Rail;

• Emma Dymond, Chief Executive Officer, Motion Rail;

• Justin Moss, Co-Chair, Northern Rail Industry Leaders.

• Steve Lee, Chair, Institution of Civil Engineers London;

• Colin Deuchars, Managing Director, Babcock Rail

• Rob Dickin, Transport Strategy Manager, Transport for the South East;

• Shona Clive, Director, Scottish Rail Cluster;

• Robert Nisbet, Director, Nations and Regions, Rail Delivery Group

• Professor Mark Barry, Professor of Practice in Connectivity;

• James Davies, Executive Chairman, Industry Wales;

• Emma Dymond, Chief Executive Officer, Motion Rail.

The panel discussions are open to all, but the workshop sessions will be open only to RIA members for the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday events, and for NRIL members for the Thursday event.

Sign up to attend here.

The Agenda

Rail in Scotland

Monday 8 March 2021 | 2 – 4pm

The panel session will include:

• Bill Reeve, Director of Rail, Transport Scotland;

• Shona Clive, Director, Scottish Rail Cluster;

• Sara Thiam, Chief Executive, Scottish Council for Development and Industry (invited);

• More TBC

Rail in London

Tuesday 9 March 2021 | 10am – 12pm

The panel session will include:

• Steve Lee, Chair, Institution of Civil Engineers London;

• Laura Osborne, Director of Strategic Communications and Campaigns, London First;

• Rob Dickin, Transport Strategy Manager, Transport for the South East;

• Transport for London representative TBC.

Rail in the Midlands

Wednesday 10 March 2021 | 10am – 12pm

The panel session will include:

• Tim Smart, Managing Director, Phase 2, HS2;

• Maria Machancoses, Director, Midlands Connect;

• Robert Nisbet, Director, Nations and Regions, Rail Delivery Group.

Rail in the North

Thursday 11 March 2021 | 10am – 12pm

Organised in partnership with Northern Rail Industry Leaders (NRIL)

The panel session will include:

• Tim Wood, Northern Powerhouse Director, Transport for the North;

• Debbie Francis OBE, City Executive for the Northern Powerhouse, Arcadis;

• Justin Moss, Co-Chair, Northern Rail Industry Leaders.

Rail in Wales

Friday 12 March 2021 | 10am – 12pm

The panel session will include:

• Mike Gallop, Interim Managing Director, Wales and Western, Network Rail;

• Simon Jones, Director for Economic Infrastructure, Welsh Government;

• Professor Mark Barry, Professor of Practice in Connectivity;

• James Davies, Executive Chairman, Industry Wales;

• Emma Dymond, Chief Executive Officer, Motion Rail

You can find out more and register here.