On February 9th we hosted TRANSPORT Smart Class, Northern Ireland 2023 at Cultra Manor, Holywood. This inaugural NI edition showed key stakeholders how to deploy the latest digital technology-enabled solutions, data-driven strategies, best practices and collaborative approaches to tackle transport and mobility challenges faced by Belfast; Derry City and Strabane; Lisburn and Castlereagh; Antrim and Newtownabbey; Ards and North Down; Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon; Causeway Coast and Glens; Fermanagh and Omagh; Mid and East Antrim; Mid Ulster; Newry, Mourne and Down; and beyond.
Attendees gained critical insights into implementing transformational innovations, policies and programmes to help deliver a transport system that will allow passengers and citizens in Northern Ireland to travel efficiently, safely and with minimal impact on the environment.
As usual, our videographer captured the keynotes and innovator presentations on film for additional stakeholders to enjoy post-event!
If you meet our regular delegate qualification criteria but were unable to join us on the day, just complete the short application form at the bottom of this page and we’ll give you complimentary access to the presentation videos, recordings and slides.
Our inspirational keynotes and innovator speakers included: Perla Mansour, Routes and Networks Programme Manager at Sustrans Northern Ireland; Anna Filby, International Business Development Manager and On-Demand Transport Professional at ioki – a Deutsche Bahn company; Hannah Winstanley, Senior Director for the EMEA Client Services Centre at Brightly, a Siemens Company; Clare Ablett, Curator of Transport and Industry at Ulster Transport Museum/National Museums NI; and on behalf of Artemis Technologies and the Belfast Maritime Consortium, SiP Programme Director, Dr Katrina Thompson.
The Smart Class also featured thought provoking Q&As, engaging roundtable sessions hosted by the innovator teams (which, in addition to the speakers, included the contributions of Dr Iain Percy OBE and Dr Benoit Lecallard from Artemis, and Steve Harris from Brightly) and further networking opportunities over breakfast, drinks and a cooked lunch.
There was invaluable delegate input into these discussions from the likes of Translink, Ards and North Down Borough Council, Belfast City Council, the Strategic Investment Board, K McShane Ltd, Aecom, Amey, Queens University Belfast, Ulster University, CDM Community Transport, Easilink Community Transport, Fermanagh Community Transport, IMTAC (The Inclusive Mobility & Transport Advisory Committee), the Road Haulage Association (RHA), RPS Group, WSP and more!
Topic highlights included:
- The role of smart data in building a unified framework for greenways development in Northern Ireland;
- Transport as the second highest GHG emitting sector in NI;
- Climate emergency and substituting short car trips with walking or cycling;
- Biodiversity emergency, physical activity & social disparities and the health and wellbeing challenge;
- National greenways strategy;
- Sustrans strategic priorities: ‘Paths for Everyone’ and ‘Liveable Towns and Cities’ programmes;
- Evidence-based development of active travel projects;
- Benefits of active travel infrastructure – From safe and accessible roads and connecting communities, to designing with green infrastructure to alleviate flooding, reduce air pollution and create green corridors;
- Design solutions and designing for users – From low-traffic neighbourhoods, 20 minute neighbourhoods and traffic free zones, to school streets, sustainable travel journeys and tactical design;
- Current public road transport service challenges for passenger transport authorities and transport companies;
- Tailoring public transport to the needs of the people and the region;
- How to set up a tailor-made DRT service: Success factors for demand responsive transport planning and operations;
- Mobility analysis, CO2 savings and the role DRT can play in helping to achieve your climate goals;
- Replacing 100 cars with three on-demand-shuttles;
- Cases studies of public transport with integrated DRT service: Mobility concept for Lincolnshire County Council (Rural), DRT shuttles for Hamburg (Urban);
- Timetable-based scheduled and timetable-free area transport mixture;
- Autonomous driving and fully autonomous public transport on demand;
- Sustainability – The next evolution in asset life-cycle planning: How enterprise asset management enables organisations to transform the performance of their assets (e.g. road signs, carriageways, fleet, street lighting and trees) and manage the operational data which is integral to decision-making and planning for net zero;
- Climate change’s bad public image, commuter miles & journey times and asset lifecycle management 2.0;
- Four stages of carbon tracking: Historic emissions, operational carbon, greener decisions and capital planning carbon – you can’t manage what you don’t measure!
- Pothole data carbon report case study;
- Pushing the boundaries of transport innovation: Northern Ireland’s pioneers of science and engineering at ‘The Museum of Innovation’ – From John Dunlop, Professor Frank Pantridge, John DeLorean and James Martin, to the Short Brothers, Harry Ferguson and Lilian Bland;
- Taking forward the ‘Museum of Innovation’ concept to support wider master-planning, future planning and partnerships, and inspire the designers, engineers, scientists and adventurers of the future to take on the challenge of inventing cleaner and greener ways to travel;
- Unlocking electric high-speed maritime transport – Decarbonising the maritime industry and transforming the passenger ferry market and the future of mobility with hydrofoil propulsion;
- The Belfast Maritime Consortium’s Strength in Places programme – Piloting the world’s most advanced high-speed zero-emissions passenger ferry between Belfast and Bangor to be a cost effective public transport solution that helps address pollution, congestion, and noise;
- How zero-emission vessels offer commercially viable green mobility solutions for operators, cities and governments and integrate with other modes.
Those qualifying to receive the presentation videos and rich media content from this event include commissioning, procurement, trialling, partnering and policy leads, senior influencers, strategic decision makers and planners from local authorities (e.g. city, borough, metropolitan, district and county councils); public transport operators; regional transport partnerships, sub-regional transport bodies, combined authorities, integrated transport authorities and passenger transport executives; highways authorities and road operators; government and supporting national transport agencies; fleet operators, parking operators, prime contractors etc.
Register your details via the “Download form” below to receive a unique link enabling complimentary access!
