2025 Agenda
Tuesday 23 September
Tyseley Energy Park
Light sandwich buffet to be served
Welcome and housekeeping from event host.
Group is divided into three groups for study tour sessions and cycles around the different stations – 45 minutes per station.
Station 1: Energy Park tour
Group will walk out to the park and have short presentations from representatives on different fuelling types and vehicles.
- HVO and Hydrogen refuelling
- Electric trucks and charging
- LNG/CNG trucks and refuelling
Station 2: Classroom sessions
Three 15-minute deep-dive technical presentations
- Tech and AI applications for road freight: Optimize
- Battery electric organisational development: Ford & Slater
- Biomethane production and sustainability: ViGo Bioenergy
Station 3: Innovation centre tour
Tour of the innovation centre learning about some key industry developments:
- Hypercharger technology: Voltempo
- Autonomous HGV development: Berkeley Coachworks and Voltempo
- E-Trailers: Berkeley Coachworks
Wednesday 24 September
Millennium Point
Registration opens on the Platform - drinks and refreshments served
Andy Salter, MD, DVV Media International and Freight Carbon Zero
Geoff Tomlinson, MD, FSEW
Decarbonisation today: How can operators get started with decarbonisation without closing off future options or betting the house on a redundant technology. This session will look at a range of options open today and hear from forward-thinking operators who have already taken the leap.
- Do diesel better
- Alternative options
- Applications of technology
Confirmed speakers include:
- Tim Campbell, Managing Director, Campbells Consultancy
- Annette Nemethova, Group Sustainability Lead, Gregory Group
- Graham Thomas, Senior Fleet Operations Manager, Ocado Logistics
- Colin Ferguson, Director, Optimize
Panel discussion – feeding the consultation: A panel discussion focused on the Government’s decarbonisation/electrification consultation. What does industry want? Panel discussion to review the key items to be included in the consultation.
Synopsis: The Government has promised a consultation on the approach to decarbonisation of the sector since the beginning of 2025. We understand this is ready for release and we expect it imminently. This session will focus on what should be the reference points for the consultation and how the participants will respond. Expect the following to be under the spotlight: changes to weights and dimensions to enable wider use of battery electric vehicles at maximum weight operations; residual value guarantees on BEVs; extension of the plug in truck grant; support for “near zero” solutions; clarity on ICE phase out dates; requirement for a ZEV Mandate for trucks.
Panellists confirmed so far:
- Andrew Scott, Positive Connections UK
- Lamech Solomon, Head of Decarbonisation Policy, Logistics UK
- Colin Matthews, Director, JouleVert
- Matthew Deer, Group MD, Swain Group
This session focuses on zero-emission vehicles and their in-operation performance. Innovate UK will provide an overview of progress from government-supported projects facilitating industry’s transition towards net zero, whilst you’ll also hear short presentations from fleet operators sharing their feedback on using electric and hydrogen technology – reliability, range, performance, driver feedback, interoperability and operational challenges.
Presenters confirmed so far:
- Isabella Panovic, Programme Manager – Zero-Emission Road Freight, Innovate UK
- Niklas Mollers, Business Development Director, Hylane
- Dave Rose, CEO, Voltloader
- Cliff Smith, Fleet Engineering Manager, Tesco Distribution
Hot buffet lunch.
You are also welcome to join the lively discussion at Speakers' Corner, starting at 13.30 with the Decarbonisation Insight session.
Speakers:
- Steve Hobson, Editor, Motor Transport
- Sarah Wixey, Director, Sarah Wixey Consulting
- Anthony Humble-Smith, MD, Avalon Green
Panel discussion to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with the infrastructure to support electrifying the sector. Understanding the key links in the chain; the steps in preparation and how to get started on the journey whether through depot-based or public charging infrastructure.
Panellists confirmed so far:
- Dan Clarke, Head of Innovation and Low Carbon Technologies, ENA
- Nigel Head, VP for eTrucks, Europe, BP Pulse
- Alex Chilvers, Strategy and EV Director, NG Bailey
- Amy Turner, Associate Director, Energy, SEGRO
- Dominic Scholfield, Mobility & Strategy Team Leader, Cenex
Motion to be debated: This Conference believes the absolute focus on zero-emission vehicles is the best pathway to reducing carbon emissions from road freight transport
With a recent RHA survey indicating 70% of road freight organisations have no interest in adopting low- or zero-emission vehicles in the near future, is it time to relax the focus on zero-tailpipe emissions as a means to decarbonise the UK’s road freight fleet, giving fleets more options to decarbonise and supporting those decarbonisation decisions with incentives? Or is this precisely the time when industry should be cutting the distractions and doubling down on its drive to net zero with a simple, agreed approach?
This session follows an initial discussion on Day Three of Road Transport Expo, bringing the discussion to a broad audience of industry stakeholders.
Proposers:
- Prof David Cebon, Centre for Sustainable Road Freight
- Ian Dennis, Head of EV Fleet, Zenobe
Opposers:
- Jonny Williams, MD, ViGo Bioenergy
- Gordon McCormick, Transport Operations Director, Uniserve
Conference ends