EEH Conference 2022

England's Economic Heartland held its annual conference at Milton Keynes on 16 November, 2022. With more than 200 delegates, it was our biggest event yet. Below you can find photos, presentations and videos from the conference.

Thanks to all those attended, to our brilliant speakers and panellists and to our event sponsors: Atkins (Platinum partner); Kier (Gold partner); and WSP (Silver partner).

Photos

Our photographer Derek Pelling was on hand to capture all the key moments from the conference. You can see his photos using the link above. Feel free to make use of any photos which include you - you can save them using the 'snipping' tool or email erin.pitcher@buckinghamshire.gov.uk and we're happy to send you the original file.

Emily Darlington

Videos

Please find below videos from the conference mainstage. They are in sequential order, with some sessions split between two videos. We are currently looking to resolve an issue where some footage appears to be missing from the 'Innovation' and 'Supporting local authorities to deliver' sessions.

Conference programme

From 09.00

Registration  

10.00-10.10

Opening remarks and welcome

Event moderator: Antony Oliver

EEH Chair Cllr Richard Wenham welcomes delegates to the conference, outlines the three-year business plan for EEH and highlights successes over the past 18 months.

10.10-10.20

Investment priorities

Update from EEH managing director Naomi Green on the work of EEH, with a particular focus on our new and emerging evidence and how that is reinforcing the investment priorities for the region.

10.20-10.50

Q&A

Naomi Green and Cllr Richard Wenham

10.50-11.30

Updates on the priorities for the Heartland’s major transport infrastructure owners

Progress and priorities on the Heartland’s existing and under construction major transport infrastructure and how it contributes to the Heartland’s broader economic, social and environmental ambitions.

Richard Leonard, Head of Network Strategy and Development, National Highways

Beth West, Chief Executive, East West Rail

Jonathan Fox, Head of GBR Capability, Great British Railways Transition Team

11.30-11.55

Coffee and networking

11.55-12.30

Connecting world class clusters

A panel of business leaders from leading clusters outline opportunities arising from improved connectivity and links.

  • Jeremy Long, chair, OxLep
  • Pim Van Baarsen, CEO, Silverstone Technology Cluster
  • Joe Chapman, head of public affairs, London Stansted Airport & East Midlands Airport
  • Nigel MacKenzie, project manager, Westcott Venture Park

12.30-13.10

Removing the barriers to innovation

Creating an environment where start-ups and innovation can flourish

  • Cllr Emily Darlington, Cabinet Member, Milton Keynes Council
  • Dan Clarke, Strategy and Partnerships, Cambridgeshire County Council
  • Llewelyn Morgan, Innovation Lead, Oxfordshire County Council
  • Rajinder Sharma, Partnerships and Business Development Manager, Podaris
  • Carl Pittam, Commercial Manager for Smart Junctions, Vivacity

13.10-13.40

Lunch

13.40-13.50

Video address

Richard Holden MP, Minister for Roads and Local Transport

13.50-14.20

Breakout sessions # 1

Innovation – making a difference today

Insights on the work of private and public sector innovators and the ground-breaking projects already making a difference today.

Three sessions running in parallel. Choose between:

  • Ajay Arora, Strategic Partnerships Manager, Google Maps
  • Carl Pittam, Commercial Manager for Smart Junctions, Vivacity
  • Real-time Collaborative Infrastructure Planning, Devon Barrett, CTO, Podaris and Chloe Rogers, Transport Planner, Podaris

14.20-14.50

Breakout sessions #2

Spotlight on local authorities

Learn more about the work of our local authority partners to improve connectivity across the region.

Two sessions running in parallel. Choose between:

  • Rebecca Dengler-Jones and Ben Feeney-North, Buckinghamshire Council and Abi Nichols, EEH on cycling improvements across Buckinghamshire
  • Sam Griffiths, Via and Adele Wearing, MK Council on demand responsive transport in Milton Keynes

14.50-15.20

Supporting local authorities to deliver

An update on EEH’s work to create the tools which will support local authority partners. With Suzanne Winkels and James Golding-Graham from England’s Economic Heartland.

15.20-15.50

Breakout sessions #3

Logistics

Learn more how challenges in the freight sector are being addressed and opportunities realised.

Three sessions running in parallel. Choose between:

  • National Highways on its plans to improve driver facilities on the strategic road network. Freda Rashdi, Head of Customer Journeys, National Highways
  • Headline findings from research by Atkins and Cenex on the use of alternative fuels for freight and logistics and developing a regional implementation action plan. Emma Chester and Matt Fleet, Atkins
  • Starship Technologies is revolutionising last mile delivery using autonomous robots. In this breakout, Ed Lovelock will talk about the challenges of last-mile delivery and outline Starship's innovative solution and how it can be applied more widely.

15.50-16.20

The next 12 months and beyond

Cllr Liz Leffman, Leader, Oxfordshire County Council

Cllr David Renard, Leader, Swindon Borough Council

Patsy Dell, Executive Director Sustainable Growth, Hertfordshire County Council

16.20-16.30

Final remarks and close

Cllr Richard Wenham, EEH Chair