Spring Conference Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th May 2023
Birmingham Strathallan Hotel

Wednesday 24th May
From 
1300 Early check in if bedrooms available. Overnight bags can be stored if bedrooms are not ready.

1300-1400 Conference Registration in the hotel foyer. Sandwiches and soft drinks available.

1400 Hydrogen/Electric bus leaves via Sprint bus priority corridor to the new NatExWM Perry Barr depot and the West Midlands Regional Traffic Control Centre

1730 Delegates arrive back at hotel

1900-1930 Conference Registration continues in the hotel foyer

1900 Pre-Dinner Drinks in hotel bar

1930 Dinner in Wallace Suite
   After dinner speaker: Martin Dean, Go-Ahead Managing Director, UK Regional Bus

Thursday 25th May
From 0645 Breakfast in Brasserie Restaurant, ground floor

Please check out after breakfast and bring bags and cases to store opposite the conference room

0845 Conference Starts in Wallace Suite
      Welcome from YBMN Patrons: Roger French & Martin Gilbert

0900 Keynote Speaker: David Bradford, Managing Director, National Express West Midlands

0945 YBMN Members:
   Matt Davis, National Express West Midlands and Aston University, and
   Oscar Taylor, Go South Coast and Aston University

1025 Tea and Coffee

1045 Chris Cheek, Managing Director, Passenger Transport Intelligence – the bus industry since the pandemic in numbers

1110 ‘Dragons’ Den’ preparation starts

1210 Lunch in Brasserie Restaurant, ground floor

1300 ‘Dragon’s Den’ feedback in front of three ‘Dragons’:
   Dawn Badminton-Capps, Director for England, Bus Users
   John Birtwistle, First Bus Project Lead
     Chris Cheek, Managing Director, Passenger Transport Intelligence

1400 John Birtwistle, First Bus Project Lead – UK’s first autonomous electric bus service

1430  Peter and Ross Newman, Founder and Director of Ensignbus – five secrets of success

1500 Wrap Up

1515 Conference Ends
     Tea and Coffee