This conference, now in its sixth year, will address these crucial issues. It will take stock of recent experience on securing and developing franchises, review current thinking on the needs of the City and of the residential development areas, and consider the needs and demand patterns of passengers. It will also provide an update on the region's major rail investment projects and their potential effects. A review of railway investment for Copenhagen will offer an interesting comparison.

Chair: John Nelson, Chairman, First Class Partnerships; Speakers: Jim Steer, Managing Director, Strategic Planning, SRA; Ian Buchan, Group Development Director, National Express; Mary Bonar, Partner, Nabarro Nathanson; Ian Brown, Managing Director, London Rail, TfL; Joe Weiss, Strategic Transportation Director, Corporation of London; Tim Ryder, Director, Steer Davies Gleave; Mark Miller, Chair, Thameslink 2000 Consortium; Barry Louth, Regional Transport Officer, East of England Regional Assembly; Lars Nordhal Olesen, Head, Board of Directors and Executive Board's Secretariate, DSB Copenhagen S-train Services; Ellerly Salida, Jason Zhou and Peter White, University of Westminster; Charles Monheim, Director, Ticketing Systems and Fares Policy, TfL and Rufus Barnes, Director, London Transport Users Committee