CD ROM containing:
• Copies of all speaker presentations
• Audio of all speakers presentations and question and discussion sessions
• Speaker biographies and any additional papers they have supplied

Major changes are taking place to the way that rural transport is delivered. The National Environment and Rural Communities Bill will see the Countryside Agency’s policy responsibilities pass to a new body, the Commission for Rural Communities. Meanwhile, its rural transport funding has been devolved to the Regional Development Agencies. Questions remain about how high a priority the RDAs will give transport and whether they will see it transport as a standalone topic or as part of a wider agenda of accessibility to services.

Against this background of institutional and organisational change, local authorities face the continuing pressure of commercial bus service withdrawals; the new agenda of community rail partnerships and how to engage rural communities in service provision.

The conference will consider these changes and how they will affect rural transport delivery. Will funding for rural transport projects be continued by Regional Development Agencies and what is the future for Rural Transport Partnership Officers if funding is withdrawn? Focus will also be placed on the future, looking at alternative methods of transport and innovation in rural transport research and provision. Consideration will be given to servicing the needs of rural communities and creating services which accurately reflect their requirements as well as those of visitors to rural areas. Examples of best practice will be used to highlight the challenges and concerns that rural transport providers are facing and give delegates a chance to discuss recent developments and consider effective ways of delivering success.

Chair:
Andrew Forster, Editor, Local Transport Today

Speakers:
Trevor Cherrett, Head of Planning, Housing and Transport, Commission for Rural Communities

John Hodgkins, Vice Chairman, ATCO and Transport and Accessibility Manager, Buckinghamshire County Council

Fiona Bryant, Rural Renaissance Manager, East of England RDA

Peter Mogridge, Rural Transport Partnership Officer, Tynedale Rural Transport Partnership

Olivia Morris, Policy and Campaigns Officer, Communities and Development, National Trust

Frank Roach, Rail Development Manager, Highland Rail

Tracy Jessop, Deputy Head of Passenger Transport Unit, Norfolk County Council

Stuart Wrigley, Director of strategic planning and transport, Lancashire County Coucil

Peter Headicar, Reader in Transport, Oxford Brookes University

James Laid, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Transport Studies, University of Leeds

Peter Warman, Independent Public Transport Consultant, WarmanConsult and Kate Freeman, Independent Consultant