Traffex, the UK's leading traffic and transport event is moving to the CBS Arena in Coventry this May and co-locating with a feast of partner conferences to give the sector everything it needs all under one roof, every year. The brains behind the event talk to Dominic Browne about what it means to run the central ‘trading floor of transport'.
After delivering a boost to delegate numbers last year and a fresh partnership with National Highways, the (still fairly new) team behind Traffex have produced what they hope is another coup – a change in strategy to deliver a streamlined two-day annual show, supported by a host of partner events.
Co-located with Traffex this year is a new show to support the national roll-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, EVEX, an outdoor demonstration area and fleet showcase, the UK's leading extreme weather resilience conference, Highways magazine's own Cold Comfort, and the British Parking Association's conference, Parkex.
On top of this, there is also Launchpad 2024, a new initiative to give startups ‘a free platform to gain a foothold in the market and engage with industry decision makers'. A score of startups have been given the chance to showcase their innovations and take part in the 2024 Launchpad Awards.
It's tempting to suggest that two days won't be long enough but the rationale is simple – we are all time poor: so, why go to one event in two days when you can go to six? Especially when it means highways and transport professionals can arrange all their procurement and every possible element of the service in one go.
Gordon Kirk (pictured top right), head of transport exhibitions at Highways' publisher, the Hemming Group, says: ‘We were keen to bring a fresh energy to what is the longest running show in the sector, so changing up the venue, moving from three days to two and running annually are just a few of the big changes we are taking into this year's event.
‘Traffex has always had a high attendance from local authorities and we know that their time and costs are being scrutinised more closely than ever before. We are competing for our visitor's increasingly precious time, so if we can provide complementary offerings that are going to give even more value to our audience, then it is the right thing for us to do.
‘The new elements being introduced to the 2024 content programme such as Cold Comfort's resilience programme, and the increasingly vital EV infrastructure aspect, add obvious value to prospective visitors. It just makes it an even easier decision to attend. And we look forward to working ever closer with our industry partners post show to identify and develop which areas will be key to growing the audience even more in 2025.'
There are also more straightforward advantages to moving to the CBS Arena; for a start the free parking for visitors and ‘the significantly lower associated exhibiting costs around the event, helping deliver improved returns on investment for our exhibitors'.
Mr Kirk is hoping the move will also capitalise on the momentum of last year's increase in delegate numbers, which he puts down to a combination of factors but particularly ‘renewing our partnership with National Highways'. ‘Working more closely with the fantastic team at National Highways enabled us to also deliver an increase in our private sector audience, particularly Tier One contractors,' Mr Kirk says. ‘We are very much looking forward to announcing some exciting news shortly on how we will be working together even more closely on the 2024 event, so watch this space!'
Traffex has a long and prestigious past, and even an international renown. It was traditionally held as a bi-annual event by friendly agreement to avoid clashing with Intertraffic in the Netherlands. Highways might be speaking from personal experience but if it is possible for a show to be too big, somehow Intertraffic manages it, making bewildered often lost attendees need a two-year lie down afterwards.
However, the disruption of the COVID years and the pace of modern innovation will now see Traffex go annually and borrow from the everything-in-one-place model of Intertraffic. Mr Kirk says that the decision was ‘driven by our audience, 91% of whom expressed a preference for Traffex to be run annually' adding that it also ‘speeds up our ability to try new things to evolve and improve the event'.
Another boost to Traffex's credentials is having a dedicated conference production manager in charge of the speaker line-up. Khalifa Bokhammas already had strong editorial connections in the infrastructure sector from his previous role as features editor on Highways' sister title, Bridge Design & Engineering.
For this year's Traffex, he divided the programme across two theatres. One stage covers management and mobility and the other safety and sustainability; both are poised to set the agenda for the sector, not least because of Mr Bokhammas' close working relationship with the Department for Transport (DfT).
‘We've partnered with the DfT and Michael Dnes, head of future roads technology, to deliver one of its Roads to Tomorrow workshops,' Mr Bokhammas reveals. ‘Michael will outline the challenges of bringing technology to the network, particularly the human and institutional barriers in place, and invite participants from a range of backgrounds to share their experiences and perspectives. Moreover, delegates will be asked to suggest what DfT should have in its ‘top-five' road technology topics for the next two to three years.'
National Highways chief executive Nick Harris at Traffex 2023
The DfT is also supporting the conference with exclusive insights into the recent £70m boost in traffic signals funding - one of the largest investment pots for traffic signals seen in generations - featuring case studies from some of the local authorities that won the cash.
Mr Bokhammas adds: ‘Over on the safety and sustainability stage, I was keen to cut through the hyperbole to find out more about the data and insights yielded by the residential 20mph roll-out in Wales, so representatives from GoSafe Wales and the Welsh Local Government Association will be part of a panel with Richard Owens, CEO, Agiylsis to discuss these.
‘Meanwhile, exploring the sustainability side of the equation, Peter Cole, head of decarbonisation at Transport for the North, and Renee van Baar, chartered principal transport planner at Midlands Connect, will present on evidence-based decarbonisation interventions for local authorities, which I hope will provide practical advice to our public sector delegates on their road to net zero.'
When discussing the wider sustainability agenda, he states: ‘The numerous carbon calculators and new pieces of guidance, such as PAS2080, all require time and expertise to apply, and with a skills shortage to contend with, this is something numerous organisations must contend with. Some of these challenges will be unpacked during the conference, but I'm confident some solid solutions will be on offer as well.
‘It's impossible not to have skin in the game when it comes to roads, given that we all use them almost every day, so I'm personally invested in seeing them provide safe and sustainable routes for all manner of road users.
‘I've lived and worked in countries with very different societal norms when it comes to road use, including Saudia Arabia, Turkey, and Germany. Despite the significant differences, I have seen first-hand how smart investment has led to significant improvements in the transport infrastructure in those places. If I can play a small part in helping foment improvements here in the UK, then I'll be happy.'
Together Mr Bokhammas and Mr Kirk form a double act that Dickens might have loved for its happy opposites.
Mr Bokhammas has a pithy habit of speech, sugared with impressive bursts of bonhomie and a laugh that sounds almost involuntary. He mixes a journalist's ability to cut to the truth with a traveller's worldly interest.
Mr Kirk on the other hand has a country pub vibe; the kind of breezy, glad air of someone who has just stepped out of the cold – perhaps on his way to or coming back from a Christmas lunch – and is happy to discuss the price of fish, or bollards.
The thing they have in common? You can't blame either of them for cramming as much as possible into Traffex: they both have thoughtful appetites as wide as their weather eyes.
