Rethinking Rail Infrastructure (SOLD OUT)

About:

Join the Centre for the New Midlands for the next of our key conversations; "Rethinking Rail Infrastructure - Putting communities at the heart of the Midlands Rail Hub"

With HS2 Phase 1 in full delivery mode and following the Government’s decision to cancel HS2 Phase 2, even more attention is being focussed on the Midlands Rail Hub.

It is the region’s biggest and most ambitious rail improvement scheme – a £900m – £1.5bn blueprint for faster, better and more frequent connections across the Midlands. It will add more than 14 million more seats on the rail network each year and provide faster, more frequent or new rail links for over 30 locations including Birmingham, Nuneaton, Worcester, Cardiff, Bristol, and Leicester. It will also bring 1.6 million more people to within an hour of the region’s biggest towns and cities by public transport. This event will look beyond the transport outputs, and ask how we can put communities at the heart of Midland Rail Hub. What could the social, economic, and environmental outcomes of the project be, and how can the region maximise the resulting benefits?

This event follows Centre for the New Midlands round table with Midlands Connect on Midlands Rail Hub in October 2022, and Connections for Prosperity conference in July 2023, and will also be the launch of the Centre for New Midlands Infrastructure Leadership Board. The Board will focus on how we deliver sustainable and inclusive outcomes for the region through infrastructure. It will be considering infrastructure in its broadest sense (including transport, energy, water, build environment, and digital), and the intersections with the Centre’s other Boards (housing, digital, and skills) and the systems that make up the natural environment.

This event has been generously sponsored by Midlands Rail Alliance.

the format:

We ask that guests arrive between 4.00pm and 4.30pm as our event will commence promptly at 4.45pm. 

Our guest speaker, Andy Street CBE, will deliver a keynote speech outlining what he hopes the project will achieve for the region, before our panel will share their thoughts.  

Following the session, a buffet will be served for our delegates.  The event will close at 7.30pm.

OUR SPEAKERS:

Andy Street was elected as the first Mayor of the West Midlands in May 2017. Andy was re-elected to serve a second term as Mayor in May 2021. The primary function of the role is to chair the West Midlands Combined Authority and brings with it significant powers over transport, housing, skills and jobs.

Before becoming Mayor, Andy combined a career with John Lewis, Britain’s most successful workers’ co-operative, with a host of high-profile economic development roles, working with local and national government.

OUR PANEL:

Our panel will be chaired by Tim Fawcett (Chair of CNM Infrastructure Board and Birmingham Cities Lead, Mott MacDonald).  Tim will be joined by Sandeep Shingadia (Director of Strategic Partnerships and Integration, Transport for West Midlands), Joanna Gilroy (Group Director of Sustainability, Balfour Beatty), Karen Heppenstall (Head of Rail, Midlands Connect) and Dr James Beard (Technical Director for Social Outcomes, Mott MacDonald).

Tim Fawcett (Birmingham Cities Lead, Mott MacDonald and Chair of CNM infrastructure Board)

Tim leads sustainable development and infrastructure projects at Mott MacDonald in the Midlands, and is the Birmingham Cities Lead. He is passionate about the West Midlands, and especially infrastructure’s role in its unlocking social, environmental and economic potential. However, we live in a complex, interconnected system of systems, and Tim challenges people to look for unintended consequences and unrealised opportunities as a result.

His background as a civil engineer, and 20 years’ experience of delivering infrastructure and development projects in the UK, USA, and elsewhere gives him a perspective on how an outcomes-focussed approach can allow stakeholders and project teams both maximise and communicate benefits. Key current projects include Arden Cross and NEC developments, West Midlands Metro and Solihull Station Integrated Transport Hub. Significant projects in the past have included California High Speed Rail, Tbilisi Rapid Transit, and Birmingham International Integrated Transport Hub.

Tim is the chair of Coventry University’s Civil Engineering Industry Advisory Board, and guest lectures on Sustainable Urban Transport, Future Mobility, and Master planning. In July 2023, Tim chaired the ‘Connections for Prosperity’ Conference in July at the University of Warwick; the Centre’s first conference and now chairs the Centre’s Infrastructure Leadership Board.

Karen Heppenstall (Head of Rail, Midlands Connect)

Karen has been working in the rail industry for nearly 20 years, including sponsor roles at Network Rail and 6 years in consultancy before joining Midlands Connect as Head of Rail in 2021 – a role that has now been expanded to cover all aspects of Integrated Transport. Karen is passionate about sustainable travel with rail at its core and driving decarbonisation through mode shift to rail travel.

Joanna Gilroy (Group Sustainability Director, Balfour Beatty)

Jo Gilroy is a highly accomplished Sustainability Professional with a wealth of experience in the corporate sector. With an international background that spans SAB Miller in India, IKEA in Sweden, and the mining sector in Australia and New Zealand, Jo brings a global perspective to her work.

Jo's career journey took a significant step when she assumed the role of Head of Sustainability at the Bunzl Group. Here, she spearheaded the creation and leadership of their Sustainable Futures Programme. Collaborating closely with government bodies and key customers in the hospitality and retail sectors, Jo worked on addressing the pressing issue of ocean pollution caused by single-use plastics.

Jo was headhunted to join Kier Group as the Head of Sustainability & Environment. In this influential position, she set the group's strategic direction on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters and developed Kier's sustainability framework, 'Building for a Sustainable World'.

In April 2022, Jo took on the role of Group Sustainability Director at Balfour Beatty, where she assumed the responsibility of providing focused leadership to further advance the group's achievements in sustainability. Her arrival marks an exciting chapter as Balfour Beatty strives to make significant strides in this vital area.

Jo's dedication and outstanding contributions to the field have earned her well-deserved recognition. She was 'Highly Commended' at the prestigious 2021 Business Green Sustainability Leaders Awards and has previously been honoured with the Business Green Sustainability Executive award in 2017 and the Rising Star award in 2016 at the Packaging Industry Awards.

Sandeep Shingadia (Director of Strategic Partnerships and Integration at Transport for West Midlands and Member of CNM’s Infrastructure Leadership Board)

Sandeep is the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Integration at Transport for West Midlands and has over 25 years’ experience in the transport sector. He is responsible for leading the development of strategic partnerships at regional, national and international levels to facilitate the development of integrated transport programmes ready for delivery.

Sandeep works strategically with partners to deliver the right transport solutions that benefit a wider investment, economic growth, creating great vibrant places and supporting our residents and business through greater connectivity through sustainable and clean transport options.

Sandeep is a board director for Colmore Business Improvement District and Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO). Alongside this, Sandeep is Vice-President of METREX (The Network of European Metropolitan Regions and Areas).

Dr James Beard (Technical Director for Social Outcome, Mott MacDonald)

For the past fifteen years, James has been working with clients across the infrastructure sector, with a specific focus on transport, to maximise the social benefits of project delivery. From impact analysis and inclusive design, to stakeholder engagement and capacity building, James’ work is focused on the various ways in which projects can be a force for social good. 

our network:

Are you and your organisation a member of our Reimagining the Region network? If not, it's not too late to join us! Annual memberships for organisations start from £400 - please visit our website for more information on how to join!

WHERE IS STEAMHOUSE?

You can find STEAMhouse at: Belmont Row, Birmingham, B4 7RQ (Further information on the venue is available by clicking here).

BY TRAIN

• Moor Street Station (approx. 0.4 miles, 9 min walk)
• New Street Station (approx. 0.7 miles, 13 min walk)
• Snow Hill Station (approx. 0.7 miles, 14 min walk)

BY CAR

• Car parking available in the nearby Millennium Point Car Park which is a 2min walk from the STEAMhouse building
• STEAMhouse is within Birmingham City’s Clean Air Zone, please click here to see if this will impact your journey

BY BIKE

• Cycle lanes throughout the city will bring you directly to STEAMhouse
• STEAMhouse has forty cycle spaces and eight foldable cycle spaces, located undercover and accessed via a secured gateway

Contact Event Organiser