Ahead of this year's Traffex event in Coventry on 20-21 May, conference producers Khalifa Bokhammas and Tereza Simpson speak to Dominic Browne about some of the key highlights on this year's conference programme and how it has evolved over the years.
What has been your focus this year when deciding on the type of conference programme?
Khalifa Bokhammas (KB): This year, the focus has been on grounding the programme in what's actually happening across the sector right now, particularly around RIS 3, design, asset management, procurement, and delivery. We've tried to move away from abstract strategy and instead build sessions around real examples, lessons learned, and the practical barriers authorities are facing.
What are some of your personal highlights from this year's programme?
KB: The keynotes from Elliot Shaw, Ruth Cadbury, and the speech from roads minister Simon Lightwood stand out, but also the discussion from the Well-managed Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice Asset Management Working Group.
The procurement sessions are also really strong, especially around SME access and frameworks, as they get into some of the real structural challenges the sector faces. On day two, the decarbonisation and circular economy sessions should lead to some honest conversations about what's actually working in practice.
Tereza Simpson (TS): I'm particularly looking forward to the international perspective from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration keynote and the insight it brings into how winter operations are evolving through technology and innovation. The Climate Change Committee keynote on day two will also be a key moment, setting out what a well-adapted transport system should look like and the scale of the challenge ahead.
Alongside that, I'm really interested in the focus on communication, both at a national and local level, and how it builds public confidence and supports effective winter service in practice. We're also closing Cold Comfort with Tales of Winter, an interactive, practitioner-led session, which aims to create a more open and honest exchange.
You have been running and drawing up the programme for a few years now. How have you found the challenge and how has it evolved?
KB: It's been a challenge, particularly as both the sector and the event have gone through periods of change. Over time, the role has shifted from simply programming content to really focusing on credibility: making sure the right people are on stage and that the conversations reflect real industry experience.
When you consider the value you want to bring to the sector, what are the key principles you use to guide you?
KB: The main principles are credibility, practicality and balance. Credibility in who we bring into the programme, practicality in focusing on what can actually be delivered, and balance in making sure we're hearing from local authorities, national bodies and the supply chain in equal measure.
TS: I focus on whether a session will be genuinely useful to someone working in the sector, prioritising real experience and hearing from people directly involved in delivery.
It's also about creating space for honest conversations, not just what's worked, but what hasn't and why. That approach has shaped both Traffex's TechTalks Theatre, which focuses on how technology is applied in practice, and Cold Comfort, which reflects the realities of delivering winter service in live conditions.
Speaking to the sector regularly, what do you think are the big issues that will be spoken about on the conference floor this year?
KB: Funding pressure sits behind everything, but more specifically, there's a lot of focus on how RIS 3 will translate into delivery, improving asset management approaches, procurement reform, and delivering decarbonisation in a way that's realistic for local authorities.
There's also growing interest in lane rental, data-led decision making, and how to better align national strategy with local delivery.
What is your favourite thing about working on Traffex?
KB: At its best, it brings together a wide cross-section of the highways sector in one place. When the conversations are open and experience-led, it creates a useful space for people to share what's working and learn from each other.
TS: I really enjoy connecting people across the sector. The most rewarding part is seeing those conversations come to life and hearing the positive feedback afterwards, particularly when speakers experience strong audience engagement, and we know we have done something right.
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