Coach & Bus UK is bringing a raft of world-class innovations, vehicles and tech to the NEC Birmingham next week. Doors open on Wednesday 2 October, with thousands of attendees expected.
The line-up includes two action-packed days of business and networking, 192 exhibitors, over 80 vehicles on display, innovative product launches and demos, plus 14 expert speakers – including CEOs and MDs from CPT UK, Stagecoach Group, Brighton & Hove Buses, Women in Transport, and Surface Transport at TfL – sharing exclusive insights at their industry show.
Event director Helen Conway says: “Coach & Bus UK has proved itself time after time to be an essential visit to see what’s new and compare the latest innovative products from leading and emerging brands. The industry moves too quickly to miss it, which is why thousands of national and regional coach, bus and mini-vehicle operators, local authorities, transport specifiers, partnership coordinators, and stakeholders will be packing the aisles next week.”
Graham Vidler, chief executive of the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK, will be kicking off The Theatre programme with a much-anticipated opening address. He says there’s ‘something for everyone’ to enjoy this year: “Visitors will see first-hand all the very best and latest developments in the bus and coach sector presented by over 180 industry suppliers…showcasing everything from new vehicles, alternative power and retrofitting solutions, to ticketing, payments and digital services.”
Mr Vidler is also looking forward to taking on the role of head judge at the show’s new Innovation Challenge, which has been launched to recognise and reward the industry’s best new developments of the last 12 months; including passenger transport tech, vehicle accessories, workshop equipment, and more.
Innovation Challenge
There are 19 new products taking part and it’s up to show visitors to vote for their favourites on opening day at the Innovation Challenge Gallery. Their top picks will then go forward to the Innovation Challenge Live Finals, starting at 12 noon the following day (Thursday 3 October in The Theatre). This exciting live pitching session will see exhibitors take turns to wow the judges. They have just 90-seconds to impress them and, potentially, win a gold, silver or bronze award.
The Innovation Challenge judges – who’ll be putting the finalists to the test – include Phil Hitchen, MD of Belle Vue Coaches; Chloe Leach-O’Connell, MD of Leach-O’Connell Consultancy (who has previously held senior marketing roles at Transdev and Arriva); Jon Eardley, engineering director UK Bus at Abellio; Tom Morgan, service delivery director at trentbarton; and (head judge) Graham Vidler, CEO of the CPT UK.
Innovation Challenge entries include:
- Journeo™ Transit – 21st Century
- School Bus Tracker – Affinity
- E400HX Service Exchange Hybrid Battery Pack – Alliance Transport Technologies
- CheckPro Customisable Daily Checks – CheckPro
- D4Drivers Booking System – D4Drivers
- Firetrace Automatic Fire Suppression System for Electric Vehicles – Firetrace
- Fleet In Your Pocket – Freeway Fleet Systems
- eMOBILE – INIT
- INSO Digitally Printed Flooring – INSO inspiring solutions for bus and coach
- Invisi Warm – INSO inspiring solutions for bus and coach
- The National Coach Network Platform – National Coach Network
- All Buckled Up – Phoenix Seating
- Premier Pits – Premier Pits
- MirrorEye™ – Synectics
- Kazoot – Ticketer
- TyreWatch and TomTom Telematics – TomTom Telematics (AES Fleet)
- Trusted Travel Reviews – Trusted Travel Reviews
- Ticketless – UrbanThings
- Air1 OptiSpray – Yara UK
The Innovation Challenge results will be announced at 2.30pm on Thursday 3 October.
For further information about the products competing for an Innovation Challenge Award, visit www.coachandbusuk.co.uk/innovation-challenge.
For information about some of the 80+ vehicles at the show, visit: www.coachandbusuk.co.uk/show-news/coach-bus-uk-2019-to-showcase-over-80-vehicles.
The must-attend industry showcase
Coach & Bus UK may need little introduction to the industry it serves. Around two in every three visitors to the biennial show (which alternates with Euro Bus Expo) have come before. For them, it’s a ‘must attend’ for keeping up-to-date with the latest innovations, solutions, and insights. First time visitors will soon discover the same.
“At Megabus, we are always seeking out innovation, promoting our sustainability credentials and collaborating with partners to help grow the market. This is why I’ll be at Coach and Bus UK at the NEC,” says Mark Venables, MD at Megabus.
“Coach & Bus UK continues to provide the basis for great networking opportunities while showcasing all the latest innovations and improved technology within the industry,” says James Horseman, company director at Horseman Coaches.
“We see great value in attending Coach & Bus UK, the ability to speak with so many suppliers under one roof provides an excellent opportunity to discuss the needs of our business moving forward. Networking with like-minded colleagues also brings positive benefit whilst learning about the many upcoming innovations for our industry,” says Scott Pearson, MD of Newport Transport.
“Coach & Bus UK is always a great reminder of why now is such an exciting time to be a part of this industry. It’s a great chance to be able to see what innovative ideas are out there and what opportunities there are for us to keep moving forward,” says Hayley Russell, head of National Express UK private hire at National Express.
“I always attend Coach & Bus UK, as it gives me a chance to keep up-to-date with what is new and fresh in the industry. The networking opportunities are superb and I often see colleagues that I haven’t seen since the previous show. I’m looking forward to it,” says Andy Shaw, operations manager at Bluestar and Unilink.
“It’s an important opportunity to evaluate new products and all the innovation that is coming through the industry. The timing is good as it comes just at the end of our busiest period and allows us to think about any changes we may want to introduce for the following year,” says Paul Bull, operations director at Alfa Travel.
“Coach & Bus UK gives TrawsCymru the opportunity to discuss new vehicles and products with current and potential bus suppliers (to our contract operators), meet old friends and make new contacts,” says Professor Stuart Cole CBE, board member at TrawsCymru (Emeritus Professor of Transport at the University of South Wales).
“Coach and Bus UK is a unique opportunity to see all your major suppliers in just a couple of days. It’s great to see what everyone has to offer,” says Chris McKeown, chief engineer at Go-Ahead London.
Free Keynote sessions in The Theatre
For full speaker details and timings, please visit www.coachandbusuk.co.uk/visiting/the-theatre. Highlights are listed below in running order each day:
Wednesday 2 October:
- Graham Vidler, CEO of Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) UK: Opening Address
- Martin Griffiths, CEO of Stagecoach Group: Autonomous Buses and Coaches
- Chris McKeown, chief engineer at Go-Ahead London: Electric Buses ‘Business as Usual’
- Gareth Powell, MD of Surface Transport at Transport for London: ULEZ and Clean Air Zones
- Keith McNally, operations director at CPT UK & Amir Rauf, programme manager vehicle retrofit at Energy Saving Trust: Retrofitting of Coaches
- Nick Denton, Traffic Commissioner for the West Midlands & Laura Hadzik, solicitor at Backhouse Jones: Mock Public Inquiry (focusing on commonplace compliance issues)
- Allan Gooch, transport manager for the Commonwealth Games & Pete Bond, director of integrated network services for transport for West Midlands / West Midlands Combined Authority: Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games: Opportunities for Operators
Thursday 3 October:
- Sonya Byers, CEO of Women In Transport & Martin Harris, MD of Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus: Accelerating Diversity – Enhancing Performance
- Steve Whiteway, transport specialist at S R Whiteway & Son: Is Turnover Vanity and Profit Sanity?
- Innovation Challenge Live finals – The Pitches
- Steven Salmon, international manager at the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK: Brexit – What We Know Today
- Innovation Challenge Live finals – The Results
Coach & Bus UK – free trade registration
Coach & Bus UK returns to the NEC Birmingham next week on 2-3 October. For further information and to register to attend, visit www.coachandbusuk.co.uk.
routeone Awards
The show is co-located alongside the UK’s largest coach, bus, and minibus operator awards – the routeone Awards, being held on the evening of 2 October at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole. For further information, visit www.routeoneawards.com.
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Media enquiries & press pass requests to:
Apply for press accreditation here: https://cbuk-2019.reg.buzz (select company type = ‘press’ when prompted)
Emma-Louise Jones, Head of PR
t: +44 (0)1273 645134
e: [email protected]
Website: www.divcom.co.uk
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DiversifiedUK
Jacqui Trayford, Marketing Executive
t: +44 (0)1733 405749
e: [email protected]
Website: www.coachandbusuk.co.uk
Twitter: www.twitter.com/coachandbusuk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/coachandbusuk
Event Director:
Helen Conway
e: [email protected]
Exhibitor sales enquiries to:
Martin Laverton, Group Sales Manager
t: +44 (0)1733 405735
e: [email protected]
Notes:
The product information within this show highlights press release has been submitted by companies exhibiting at Coach & Bus UK 2019. Product images are available on request.
Exhibitor show highlights montage: www.coachandbusuk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Coach-Bus-UK-exhibitor-show-highlights.jpg
High res show images are available to download via this link (more on request):
www.coachandbusuk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/VIS7664.jpg
www.coachandbusuk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/VIS7414.jpg
www.coachandbusuk.co.uk/show-news/coach-bus-uk-2017-opening-day-picture-gallery
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