In this episode, Johannah, Deb and Liam discuss the first steps taken by the new UK Government to improve and integrate the transport system. With reference to the bills proposed in July 2024's King's Speech. We cover our hopes and anxieties of the new, more comprehensive public transport investment and operational model.

Johannah is flying solo in this episode and had the incredible opportunity to attend the Railway Industry Association's Innovation Conference in Wales, where it was a whirlwind of excitement!  From keynote speeches to tech talks, exhibitor spotlights, and more, there was never a dull moment.

In this episode, she'll be chatting with some of old friends and brilliant innovators who are shaping the future of rail.

But first, let's talk about the unexpected surprise that kicked off the conference. Our host, Milda Manomaityte, strutted in with her new best friend - the robodog! Now, that definitely caught everyone's attention, sparking a debate about the future of rail innovation and maybe even a hint of extra-terrestrial excitement!

We heard from industry leaders who shared insights into resetting rail and the start of CP7. The vision for the future is clear: innovation is key to addressing challenges and driving efficiency gains.

Johannah had the chance to catch up with some conference delegates, including One Big Circle's Emily Kent, Doopee Doo's Philippe Mele, and Arcadis' Meirion Thomas. We discussed key conference themes such as sustainability, collaboration, and yes, those divisive robots!

Day two continued with the launch of RIA's thought leadership report, 'Destination: Revenue Growth.' This report looks at the gaps in rail ticketing and offers recommendations to enhance the customer experience and boost revenue.

Now, here's the big question: are these recommendations truly addressing passenger needs? We'll explore this further in our next episode, so stay tuned!

In this episode, Johannah gives her thoughts on last week's Rail Scotland Conference. Listening in, Liam is joined by friend of the podcast Deb Carson to hear about the conference's themes of climate resilience, passenger experience on an integrated railway and decarbonisation of the rolling stock - all within a cost efficient model. Plenty of opportunities for our most dynamic suppliers!

Liam Henderson & Johannah Randall speak with PassageWay's Chris Johns (10:30) to hear about their realtime digital signs placed in communities to help users understand, interpret and act on multi-modal transport information, displayed in a human-centred way. With references to Nudge Theory, overcoming digital exclusion, and the provision of FREE digital signs funded by TfL.

For our 1st episode of 2024, Johannah, Deb & Liam discuss potential key themes of the year ahead (politics, politics & politics).

Plus, Liam spoke with Jude Hough, an Innovation Growth Specialist at Innovate UK Edge to hear about the support available for startups through the organisation. They discuss working directly with SMEs to provide coaching and help to realise the potential of a promising innovation and get it to market, both in the UK and internationally. As someone who herself has experienced the start up journey, Jude is able to empathise with founders on funding and resource challenges, and is keen to hear from those with high growth ambitions, particularly around the themes of decarbonisation or improving the experience for the transport user. It all starts with a chat!

Link to high speed rail report: https://www.ineco.com/ineco/en/insights/visible-futures/efficiency-spanish-sector-development-high-speed-railways

Liam & Johannah speak with Natasha Marsay, Network Rail's Accessibility and Inclusion Policy Lead, to hear about the good work being undertaken to enable autonomy for customers: including a chat about how inclusivity means more than just providing level access; trying to balance all the needs of various passenger groups; the challenge of providing consistency of experience across the station estate; and the value of the purple pound. We end with Natasha's advice for young people considering entering the rail industry: join!