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Press Release 04-October-2010 on The Future of Transport PDF Print E-mail

Press release

04-October-2010

End of the road for transport policy?

Monday 25 October 5:45pm for buffet and 6:00pm start

 

As part of the Manchester Science Festival, the Manchester Salon is hosting what promises to be a lively debate on the future of transport.

With the collapse of plans for a congestion charge in Manchester – and an admission that ‘there is no plan B’ – and cutbacks in public funds, the thorny issue of how we are going to pay for any improvements has yet to be resolved. 

On top of concerns about congestion and worries about safety, changing cultural attitudes mean that transport itself is no longer an unquestioned good: cars are frowned upon; aviation deemed too carbon intensive; trains too expensive, and space travel simply pointless.

Three key speakers are lined up for the discussion, which is sponsored by the Institute of Engineers and Technology, to explore some smart thinking solutions.

Michelle Di Leo, director of pro-aviation Flying Matters group, which represents a broad coalition of tourism organisations, trade unions, business, farmers in the developing world as well as the aviation industry and argues for a sustainable growth in aviation.

Austin Williams is the director of the Future Cities Project. An architect and project manager by profession, he was previously technical editor of the Architects' Journal and now writes for a wide range of publications on urban and transport issues.

Yvonne Hübner is principal policy advisor at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and responsible for transport and manufacturing policy. She recently published a paper on the unintended consequences of transport policy, organised debates on alternative transport fuels, and facilitated the transport session of the joint Defra and Engineering the Future conference on Engineering, Infrastructure and Climate Change Adaptation. 

The debate is a satellite event of the prestigious Battle of Ideas 2010 festival hosted by the Royal College of Art in London, which comprises 75 debates and satellite discussions confronting society’s big issues and unresolved questions.

Date:  Monday, 25 October, 6pm (light buffet from 5.45pm)

Venue: Blackwell University Bookshop, The Precinct, Oxford Road, Manchester

For further details on the event and Manchester Salon’s activities, contact Simon Belt at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 
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