Cold Comfort 2021 Provisional Programme
All speakers and sessions listed below are subject to confirmation due to the rescheduling of the event. We thank you for your patience.
Day One |
||
---|---|---|
08.30 - 09.30 |
Registration and exhibition viewing |
|
09.30 -10.00 |
09.30 -10.00Transport expert David Quarmby will be a headline speaker at Cold Comfort 2020 to mark 10 years since his famous government-commissioned report into UK winter service. His research and analysis laid the foundations for the Government’s response to the harsh winters of 2008-09 and 2009-10 when the country was brought to prolonged standstills through extreme weather and a lack of salt supply. His report was the springboard for widespread reforms. David will present original research and analysis that revisits winter resilience and looks to the future in an age of climate change, as he asks the sector once again: ‘Are you prepared?’ David Quarmby, Transport expert and former government adviser, |
|
10.00 - 10.35 |
10.00 - 10.35Head of local roads at the Department for Transport Steve Berry provides exclusive insights into central government plans to help the country move forward and what it expects from its partners.
Steve Berry OBE, Head, Local Roads, Innovation, Resilience, Light Rail and Cableways, Department for Transport (DfT), |
|
10.35 - 11.15 |
10.35 - 11.15Highways England’s David Batchelor, project manager for its Severe Weather Research & Development, with outline the strategic network operator’s latest severe weather research projects and give an update on the outcomes from 2019/20 winter season.
David Batchelor, Project Manager-Severe Weather Plan, Highways England |
|
11.15 - 11.30 |
11.15 - 11.30Chair of the NWSRG, Chris Cranston, will be giving a presentation about its latest plans and developments. NWSRG has ambitions for more research projects, new offers to members, and coming up shortly, the publication of the next chapter of its winter guidance - Chapter 2 covers ‘Planning for Winter Service Delivery’. So there will be plenty for Mr Cranston to discuss with delegates.
Chris Cranston, NWSRG and Operations & Communications Manager, Devon County Council |
|
11.30 - 12.00 |
Coffee Break |
|
12.00 - 12.30 |
Winter educators and deliverersOutgoing chief executive of the Institute of Highway Engineers Richard Hayes will discuss the latest winter service training developed specifically to boost expertise and professional knowledge in the resilience sector.
Richard Hayes, Chief Executive, IHE |
|
12.30 - 13.00 |
12.30 - 13.00A leading representative of Highways Term Maintenance Association (HTMA) reflects on the key role that contractors play in delivering frontline services and the association’s historical roots in the winter service industry. Harvey Cullen’s day job is general manager for central and north-west at Tarmac Highway Services and he will be speaking on the subject of ‘managing risk and margins in winter service’.
Harvey Cullen, General Manager for Central & NW Tarmac Highways Services, HTMA |
|
13.00 -14.00 |
Lunch and exhibition viewing |
|
14.00 -14.30 |
Winter communicationMark Corbin, key route network manager of Transport for West Midlands, will deliver a presentation on his recent winter service diplomatic missions to other countries. Having carried out fact-finding research, during what almost amounts to a world tour, he will give delegates the benefit of not one but three international comparisons in winter service, particularly in the area of communications.
Mark Corbin, Key Route Network Manager, Transport for West Midlands |
|
14.30 - 14.55 |
14.30 - 14.55Derby City Council’s marketing and communications guru, Georgia Pulford, will be discussing the future of winter service communication, providing a forward-looking analysis on how and where we can progress and answering the big question - how do you keep residents interested when the gritters don’t have names?
Georgia Pulford, Marketing Officer, Derby City Council |
|
15.00 - 15.30 |
Coffee and exhibition viewing |
|
15.30 - 16.00 |
Winter IT and dataDeputy chair of the NWSRG, Carol Valentine will give an update on the ADEPT and DfT Live Lab project in her county of Kent. Close to £2m is being spent on the scheme, which involves a centralised digital hub and a Smart Winter programme using sensor technology.
Carol Valentine, Highways Project Manager, Kent County Council |
|
16.00 - 16.30 |
16.00 - 16.30For the final act of day one, we have honoured guests from Sweden. A delegation of private and public sector winter service professionals will discuss a cutting edge system that uses ABS-sensors to collect friction data. Using normal passenger vehicles, it enables real-time monitoring of vast road networks. The project has been running for the last two winters in collaboration with the Swedish Transport Administration.
Dan Eriksson, National coordinator Winter Service, Swedish Transport Administration |
|
17.00 - 19.00 |
Close of day one and evening drinks receptionWe invite all our exhibitors and delegates to join us at the Cold Brewery for complimentary drinks. |
Day Two |
||
---|---|---|
09.00 - 15.30 |
09.00 - 15.30New for 2020, the NWSRG will be delivering an interactive Practitioners Workshop on Day 2 of Cold Comfort. You will have the opportunity to find out more about the new guidance and understand what it contains from those involved in drafting it as well as hear from some authorities who have successfully implemented sections of the guidance. The workshop is likely to cover some of the following areas of the guidance: - Spread Rates - Decision Making - Treatment Methods (Pre-wet and Treated Salt) - Calibration - Forecasting and Road Weather Information Systems - Planning and route selection Please note that the workshop will run from 9:30 to 15:30 on Day 2. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity. |