Over the last year, serious question marks have been raised over the value of light rail schemes in Great Britain. Costs of implementation have risen significantly, and the government has hesitated over providing increased funding support, posing serious doubts over a few well advanced schemes. Yet these schemes usually underpin approved regeneration and growth strategies for major cities or sub-regions.

This conference provides a unique forum for exchanging experience and opinion on these crucial issues, which concern all those responsible for planning, procuring, funding and operating rapid transit schemes in the UK.

Speakers: Bob Linnard, Director, Integrated & Local Transport, DfT; Reg Harman, Independent Consultant; Stewart Lingard, Audit Manager, National Audit Office; Scott McIntosh, Senior Consultant, Mott MacDonald; Maritn Fleetwood, Solicitor, Nabarro Nathanson; Neil Scales, Director General, Merseytravel; Mark Fowles, Managing Director, Nottingham City Transport; Dave Carter, Deputy Director, Transport Consultancy MVA; Joao Rebelo, Director, Metro de Porto; Ian Ambrose, Principal Consultant - Light Rail, AEA Technology; Nino Zambara, Project Manager, HTM Consultancy; Colin Eastman, Transport Policy Adviser, Coventry City Council and Jean-Pierre Orsi, Regional Director Europe, SYSTRA