West Coast Partnership Annual Conference 2024

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Sign-up to our conference today Thursday 19 September 2024

We hope you can join us for our fourth annual stakeholder conference on 19th September in Liverpool. The day will bring together political, regional and industry leaders to discuss how we can grow rail for the benefit of customers, communities, and support economic growth on the west coast. A variety of sessions are planned for the day focussed on how we, through both Avanti West Coast and West Coast Partnership Development, can work with partners to achieve these objectives.

You’ll hear from our Leadership Teams and a range of experts across numerous key issues. Discussions will include how Avanti is working to deliver more reliable performance; how we’re innovating to improve customers’ experience based on their priorities; how we’re partnering to drive regional growth; and how we’re collaborating with communities to break down barriers and make a difference to the quality of life.

We’re determined to improve our railway. Avanti’s recently refurbished Pendolino fleet and introduction of the new Hitachi trains will provide a better and greener experience, and more reliable performance across our network. Avanti continues to introduce new products and services to cater for evolving travel patterns and demand.

West Coast Partnership Development are creating the future high-speed customer experience in its entirety – onboard, digital and ticketing, designing where high-speed services will stop and how often, as well as how best to use the space this frees up on the existing network to run more regional services. We believe that high-speed services should be the best travel experience in Britain. The conference is an opportunity to discuss how we place the customer at the heart of every decision made in planning new high-speed services, to make travel easy, comfortable, accessible, and innovative.

Most importantly, it’s a chance to hear from you on what we’re doing well and how we could improve. Please do come along to hear our plans for the year and share your views on how we deliver the best service for the customers and communities we are proud to serve.

We look forward to seeing you in Liverpool in September.

Programme

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Section
Speaker
Time
Arrival tea and coffee
09:30 - 10:00

Welcome
Richard Braham
09:50 - 10:00

Andy Mellors introduction and audience Q&A
Managing Director, Avanti West Coast
10:00 – 10:30

Performance panel discussion
Andy Mellors (Avanti West Coast)
Phil James (Network Rail)
Natasha Grice (Transport Focus)
10:30 – 11:15

Coffee
11:15 – 11:30

Customer panel discussion
Suzanne Donnelly (GBRTT)
Sarah Copley (Avanti West Coast)
Greg Suligowski (Merseyrail)
Sue Finnegan (Destination Liverpool)
11:30 – 12:15

Shamit Gaiger OBE introduction and audience Q&A
Managing Director, West Coast Partnership Development
12:15 – 12:45

Behind the Scenes Video
12:45 - 12:55

West Coast Rail 250: Engaging Policy Makers and Industry Across West Coast Mainline
12:55 - 13:00

Lunch
13:00 - 14:00

Regional economic growth panel discussion
Clare Hayward MBE (NP11)
Silviya Barrett (Campaign for Better Transport)
Craig Wakeman (West Midlands Combined Authority)
Jason Prince (Urban Transport Group)
14:00 – 14:45

Responsible business panel discussion
Jo Field (Women in Transport)
Rob Capener (Railway Children)
Jools Townsend (Community Rail Network)
John Woodcock, Lord Walney (Purpose Business Coalition)
Matt Cope (WCPD)
14:45 - 15:30

Closing comments
15:30 – 15:45

Speakers

The speakers confirmed for this years event.

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Andy Mellors

Managing Director, Avanti West Coast

Shamit Gaiger OBE

Managing Director, West Coast Partnership

Jools Townsend

Chief Executive, Community Rail Network

Jo Field

President, Women in Transport

Susan Finnegan

Commercial Director, Culture Liverpool

Rob Capener

Group Chief Executive Officer, Railway Children

Phil James

Route Director, North West England, Network Rail

Suzanne Donnelly

Director, Customer & Revenue Growth, GBR TT

Natasha Grice

Director, Transport Focus

Clare Hayward MBE

Chair, NP11

Silviya Barrett

Director of Policy and Campaigns, Campaign for Better Transport

Greg Suligowski CMICS

Head of Customer Strategy, Merseyrail

John Woodcock, Lord Walney

Chair Purpose Business Coalition

Sarah Copley

Executive Director for Commercial, Avanti West Coast

Craig Wakeman

Craig Wakeman, Head of HS2 and Strategic Partnerships, West Midlands Combined Authority

Matt Cope

Head of Stations, Avanti West Coast

Hilton Liverpool City Centre

3 Thomas Steers Way, Liverpool L1 8LW Sign up to event