Hubs in the UK and as Global Gateways
With industry leaders in full attendance, the panellists recruited for this section were some of the most respected within the sector. With the validity and future of all UK airports in question at the moment, this proved to be a heated discussion and huge questions including, the design of these hubs, the impact they have, and the management of them were asked at the very highest levels.

Community and Rural Hubs
With representatives from local government, TOC’S and lead design companies, this panel explored the hubs within the UK that may not make the front pages of newspapers or news reports but do facilitate the journeys of a great many of us here today. Our panellists answered questions on what can be done to improve their offer, their design, the preservation of their architectural merit and their ease and accessibility.

City Centre Hubs
The debate continued on how to best serve passengers whilst keeping to timetables and national schedules. We all want clean and vandalism free trains and stations, and this panel examined what steps can be made to combat this. The Way Finding issues that confront us daily were addressed in this section along with the question of maintenance.

Where Next?
This panel featured key personalities who can and most probably will affect change within their respective industries. The panel’s main role was to field questions on how technical innovation can improve the overall passenger experience. Extending the station experience onto the train/plane and the constant question of real time information. The panel also highlight how better connectivity can lead to better journeys.

•             City Centre Hubs

•             Community and Rural Hubs

•             Where next?

Innovation in Design
Jonathan Hodges // Jason Bruges Studios

Innovation in Engineering
Mervyn George // AATi

Innovation in Station in Retail
Neil Monnery // WH Smith

Best in Conference
Red Sporred Hanky

Outstanding Achievement
in Station Design and Construction
Hiro Aso // John McAslan and Partners

As a gesture of goodwill FOSD have made all those who attended our first conference Friends of the Future Of Station Design. A communication is winging its way to all those who registered.

The key areas that the 2012 Conference will concentrate on will be way-finding, passenger-flow, safety and station support, planning and station design, and attention to retail, all connecting to the overall passenger experience.

The launch, which was sponsored by engineering giant Garrandale, a company that for over 40 years has provided innovative and cost effective engineering solutions throughout the UK, was considered to be a huge success, prompting great excitement and anticipation for the conference which will be named ‘A Question of Congestion.’

The location and date for the 2012 Conference was announced at the launch event to be held at London’s Excel venue on the 25th May, 2012.

Event Director, Bill Murray, expressed his own enthusiasm towards the show by saying: “In bringing together a truly outstanding collection of personalities and points of interest, FOSD has clearly indicated its intentions to learn from the industry as well as create the basis for interesting and successful debate and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved.”

The conference format included plenty of networking opportunities and a chance for delegates to build relationships with exhibitors who included Codra, UKTI, Cycle365, AMT coffee, Merson Signs and CCD. 5 great speeches followed by workshops which also gave the audience an opportunity to raise their own voice, themes included ‘Continental Connections’, ‘Station Management’, ‘Retail in Rail’ and ‘Station Design’.

The program also included a tour of the Atos Origin innovation exhibition which showcased the latest technological advances.

The conference ended with an awards ceremony with winners including Jonathan Hodges – Jason Bruges Studios – for Innovation in Design, Mervyn George – AATi – for Innovation in Engineering, Neil Monnery – WH Smith – for Innovation in Station in Retail, the company Red Sporred Hanky for Best in Conference and Hiro Aso – John McAslan and Partners – for Outstanding Achievement in Station Design and Construction.