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Welcome

The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and the HST Partnership invite you to celebrate our achievements and look forward to the future at the HST projects final conference.

WHY ATTEND?

HSTconnect and HSTintegration are two EU-funded projects working to ensure that Europe can take full advantage of the opportunities offered by high-speed rail. This conference comes at a critical moment when EU and UK policy-makers are committed to increasing rail capacity to reduce CO2 emissions and oil imports.

Speakers will present visions for the future role of high speed rail in stimulating commerce, competitiveness, employment, urban renewal and European integration.

Led by SEEDA, the 27 HST project partners have collaborated across North West Europe to discover how to apply joined-up strategy through practical projects that connect high speed trains locally. Their combined 50 million budget was supported by European Regional Developent Funding through the INTERREG IIIB programme.

The conference will showcase what they learned, including case studies illustrating the great value of targeted small-scale investments in stations and their surroundings and in improving transport connections. There will also be an exhibition of the investments and opportunities to network with project partners, speakers and delegates.

BBC News Presenter and Journalist Nicholas Owen will moderate panel debates among leading public and private sector experts, and the conference will end with a celebratory drinks reception at Westminster Abbey Cloisters.

PROGRAMME & BOOKING

To book for this event please visit: www.highspeedtrains.net/events08
This conference is a free event; however delegates are responsible for organising their own travel and accommodation.

11:00	Registration opens Networking Exhibition of project partners achievements and investment results
12:00	Networking buffet lunch
13:00	Moderators Introduction Nicholas Owen, BBC News Presenter and Journalist Welcome James Brathwaite CBE, Chairman, South East England Development Agency
13:30	SESSION ONE: Ambitions and Achievements A practical insight into what the HST Partnership set out to achieve, the lessons learned and the results delivered
	Regional and Strategic Benefits HST in Europe Ruut Louwers, Programme Director, INTERREG NWE Case study: Practical and Local Benefits Helen Santer, Director of Operations, Waterloo Quarter Business Alliance The effects of investments in high-speed rail infrastructure: Key results from the HST Study Alan Lewis, Director , Transport and Travel Research Ltd Panel Discussion and Q&A Moderated by Nicholas Owen
15:15	Networking break
16:00	SESSION TWO: Visions for the Future Perspectives on the future role of high-speed rail in topical policy areas
	Vision one: A vision for expansion of the high speed train network in Europe Ingrid Nuelant, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Thalys Vision two: A vision for growing the high-speed rail network in the UK - Julie Mills, Director, Greengauge 21 Vision three: Stations as drivers for urban regeneration Spencer de GreyCBE , Senior Executive: Head of Design, Foster + Partners Panel Discussion and Q&A Moderated by Nicholas Owen
18:00	Drinks Reception at East Cloisters, Westminster Abbey We have secured a number of spaces on guided optional tours of the Abbey Museum (tour space is limited so delegates will be asked to sign-up for this upon registration)

VENUE INFORMATION

Church House Conference Centre:
Steeped in tradition, Church House Conference Centre can be found in the shadows of Westminster Abbey within the tranquil setting of Deans Yard.

Church House Conference Centre, Deans Yard, Westminster SW1P 3NZ London
Tel: 020 7390 1590 Fax: 020 7390 1591 www.churchhouseconf.co.uk

Nearest tube stations are Westminster and St. James Park. Overland stations from Victoria, Euston, Kings Cross, Paddington and Waterloo.

Comprehensive directions and maps can be found at here
For details on accessible parking and building access please visit: www.churchhouseconf.co.uk

RECEPTION

Westminster Abbey is steeped in more than a thousand years of history. The Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066 and is the final resting place of seventeen monarchs. East Cloisters, Westminster Abbey: www.westminster-abbey.org/. The Abbey Cloisters is a less than a two minute walk across Deans Yard from Church House.

ACCOMMODATION

Delegates are responsible for organising their accommodation. A limited number of bedrooms have been reserved at special rates and are close to the conference venue. Rooms cannot be guaranteed without valid credit/debit card details.

EVENT TEAM

For further information, please contact:

Event & Exhibition - Melanie Lucas +44 (0)1483 484 230 melanielucas@seeda.co.uk
Media & PR Will Hardie- +44 (0)20 7250 4290- will.hardie@pinnaclepr.co.uk
Accommodation Michelle Chilton +44 (0)1962 865 962 - michelle@venuesforbusiness.co.uk

Left to right: Abbey Cloisters. Westminster Abbey and Church House Conference Centre

The High Speed Train network in North West Europe has to be highly connected to be successful, both as an economic operation itself and, beyond rail, successful to deliver sustainable economic growth.

That is why the HST projects focus on linking insufficiently connected systems. Spatial planning, economic planning, the HST network and regional transport are seen as one entity. The assumption is that by better integration of existing systems, relatively low financial expenditure and better usage of existing infrastructure, a high socio-economic added value can be realised.

The Projects concentrate on the weakest points of the European travel chain e.g. cross border rail services, transfer between travel modes, the interdependence of public realm, station developments and local businesses, industrial estates and public transport, suburban settlements and sustainable transport modes, real-time and continuous travel information, integrated ticketing etc.

In the same way that a common European market is far more than an addition of national economic markets, a truly integrated HST network is far more than transport.

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