Overview

Early in 2021, the Department for Transport released £20 million funding for Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) in rural areas under the Rural Mobility Fund. Currently, there are 16 DRT schemes set to launch in 2021 and 2022. DRT is all about on-demand, shared transport – accessible through a digital app. The event will explore recent efforts in the field of DRT and will include presentations from Department for Transport, Transport for London, Local Authorities taking part in Rural Mobility Fund and DRT app suppliers.

Presentations will focus on current/future DRT plans by Local Authorities, lessons learnt from previous projects/pilots, challenges in deploying DRT schemes, as well as presentations by selected DRT app suppliers.

Agenda

12:00-13:00 : Department of Transport update and Essex County Council perspective

• Opening/intro of event by CIHT/ATCO (5minutes)
• Presentation by DfT (Speakers: Rachel Longley-Senior Policy Lead for Rural and Community Transport and DRT, Nathan Cole-DRT Policy Lead, Michael Evans-Performance and Accountability Lead)
• Presentation by Essex County Council (James Hopkins) on their DRT plans under the Rural Mobility Fund

Break [30 minutes]

13:30-14:30 : Transport for London pilot update, Hertfordshire County Council and DRT suppliers

• Presentation by TfL (Becky Upfold) on their DRT pilots in suburban London
• Presentation by Hertfordshire County Council (Alice Bowler) on their DRT plans under RMF 
• Presentations by 2 DRT app suppliers Via & Ride Tandem 

Confirmed Speakers

Below is further information on some of our confirmed speakers. 

• Becky Upfold - Innovation Delivery Lead, Transport for London 

  Becky Upfold has over 20 years experience in sustainable transport in Canada and the UK and now works for TfL’s Transport Innovation Directorate, evaluating and testing the potential for demand responsive buses, e-scooters and other new business models to affect or complement TfL’s objectives, operations and customers.

   

• James Hopkins - Business Development Manager, Integrated Passenger Transport Unit, Essex County Council

  James leads on Business Development within the Integrated Passenger Transport Unit (IPTU) at Essex County Council. Developing a digital Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) solution for Essex is a flagship project for him and the Council. James has worked in the transport sector for the past 8 years and has broad experience in project management, delivering efficiencies in home to school and adult social care transport and generating income.

• Alex Shapland-Howes - CEO & Co-Founder, RideTandem

  Alex is Co-Founder and CEO of Tandem. Tandem was founded after Alex met a group of Dads who live in a small town near Rochdale. All were looking for work and plentiful employment opportunities were available just 15 minutes away by car, but as none of them could drive, so the lack of public transport alternatives left the group stuck and unemployed. Tandem was founded to ensure transport is never a barrier to work, healthcare, education or other vital services.

Help and support

For further information, please e-mail us at: regions@ciht.org.uk 

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Speaker

Presentation