Recycling Partnerships that Change Lives – January 20
Our first event of 2020 was hosted by Recycling Lives who are a national recycling and waste management business. Chief Operating Officer Anthony Sharkey presented to the attendees on how this unique business model combines an industry-leading recycling business and a life-changing charity successfully. Anthony explained how from the Lancashire-headquarters its commercial operation supports and sustain its sister charity, Recycling Lives UK and how it has grown rapidly in recent years, from four sites across Lancashire to 19 nationally. He also discussed how it is the largest car recycler in the country, exporting thousands of tonnes of metals and plastics for reuse every month, while also recycling scrap metals, waste electricals and general waste. He gave an overview how Recycling Lives UK combines a charity and social enterprise delivering programmes which are supporting the homeless, rehabilitating offenders and redistributing surplus food to charitable groups.
Guided Tour at the British Commercial Vehicle Museum - The Big Story of Big Vehicles – November 19
Lancashire Group ended 2019 off with an exclusive guided tour at the BCVM, Leyland, the home town of truck and bus making. The tour was well attended with members travelling from throughout the UK to walkthrough over a century of commercial vehicle development. With over 50 big exhibits on display ranging from horsepower, steam to alternatives fuelled vehicles, attendees were able to get up close to a Merryweather Fire Engine, access the original development drawings and achieve rooms, interacted with the displays and touch screen information as well as clamber on board the original Pope Mobile. Younger attendees were also engaged with the industry through the practical displays in the children’s area. Stories and experiences were shared by our host Robert Pratten, Activities and Educational Manager, along with a fleet of volunteers from BCVM.
The Logistics of Illuminating Blackpool – September 19
This event at the Boulevard Hotel, Blackpool, was hosted by Blackpool Transport, who gave an interesting insight to logistical mechanics of how a small Lancashire seaside town copes with the influx of visitors every year, to the largest and most famous light show in Europe. Jane Cole, Managing Director and Mandy Davies, Head of Operations gave an overview of how Blackpool Transport, work all year round to make sure that the movement of locals, visitors and vehicles, flow safely, storage facilities as well as the erecting and dismantling of the light displays during the 66 nights of the illuminations. Bryan Lindop, Head of Heritage, gave a full history of the illuminations, from where they started to the fantastic show that it is today. All attendees received a complimentary travel tickets to experience the wonderful bus, tram service and illuminations courtesy of Blackpool Transport.
Alternative Fuels – The Future of Road Transport – June 19
At our June event, hosted by Transport Training Academy Ltd, attendees were given an insight to the range of alternative fuels for the future of Road Transport. Speaker Mark Agnew, Driver Services Manager from Scania (Great Britain) Limited, presented where Scania are currently and steps they have taken to ensure the sustainability of its products into the future.
Strategic Transport Plan and Investment Programme for Lancashire and the North – March 19
At our March Event hosted at UCLAN Preston, Robin Miller-Stott, Senior Strategy Officer at Transport for the North, updated the attendees on the significant progress made across its road, rail, and smart travel programmes. He explained the vision that TfN has set out for the future of the North’s economy and unveiled proposals for northern infrastructure improvements over the next 30 years. The Strategic Transport Plan (STP) and Investment Programme has the potential to support the rebalancing of decades of underinvestment and should transform the lives of people across Lancashire and the wider North. Attendees also listened to Dave Colbert, Specialist Advisor Transport Planning at Lancashire County Council, laying out the outline of how this new agenda is helping to shape the preparation of the next Local Transport Plan for Lancashire which will set out the county's transport strategy and investment priorities for the next 25 years.