Reading, April 2014

About the conference

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Penta Hotel, Reading, 18/19 March 2014

Sir Peter HendyThe first of our two planned events for 2014 got under way on the evening of 18 March with a relaxed session in the bar, followed by a conference dinner. This featured our guest speaker Sir Peter Hendy. A long time career busman, Peter has been with Transport for London since its foundation, joining as Managing Director Surface Transport before being appointed Transport Commissioner in 2005. He is also currently President of the International Public Transport Union (UITP).

Marc Reddy from First Hampshire & DorsetThe morning session kicked off with an address by Marc Reddy, managing director of FirstGroup's bus operations in Hampshire, Dorset and Berkshire.  Marc led the implementation of the Eclipse BRT project in Hampshire and the recent relaunch of newly branded routes in Portsmouth and Southampton. With his added Berkshire responsibilities come some iconic brands such as RailAir and Green Line, he was in a great position to talk about the challenges facing First UK Bus as it implements its transformation programme Better Journeys for Life.

James Freeman from Reading BusesYBMN patron James Freeman was next on the agenda. James introduced Reading Buses, the company he has run so successfully since 2007, and this was followed by an interactive tour of the business and its operations.

After a return to the hotel for an early lunch, we welcomed David Beaman to the conference. David is currently a Trustee of the Kithead Trust, the organisation formed to look after the bus industry's archive material. With his boss and longtime colleague Arthur Townsend, David helped to lead the management and employee buyout of the Oxford Bus Company in the 1980s, and faced the onslaught of competition from Harry Blundred's minibuses and the start of a rival coach service to London known as the Oxford Tube - both still present in the city, but these days under the guise of Stagecoach Oxford.

His account of the experiences of the 1980s formed a nice contrast with the situation today, when we welcomed Stagecoach Oxford's current MD Martin Sutton to talk about the experience of working in partnership in the city.

The conference concluded with the popular and thought-provoking workshop session.

 

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