Rail passengers conference in Birmingham.

Rail campaigners throughout Britain converge on Birmingham on Saturday 6 November 2004 for the annual Railfuture rail users conference.

They will have the chance to hear from a clutch of expert speakers and discuss the prospects for rail passengers in the year ahead in the light of the Government's reform of the industry.

One speaker, John Balmforth, will be talking about the proposed changes to the official watchdog - the Rail Passengers Committee network.

This should be a hot topic as many rail campaigners have developed a close working relationship with their local RPC members and regularly collaborate with them in projects like surveys of station facilities.

Fifty per cent of rail passengers know about the work of the Midlands RPC, compared to only five per cent who know about the national organisation, the Rail Passenger Council.

Yet the Department for Transport is planning to abolish the very committees which seem to have made the most impact.

Other speakers include Adrian Lyons of the Railway Forum, David Keay, principle inspector of Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate, Richard Carr of Orange who will be talking about mobile data solutions for rail, Sheila Dee of the Shrewsbury-Chester Rail Partnership whose subject will be Promoting Local Rail Services, and Alan Dare of Chiltern Railways.

The conference takes place at Carrs Lane Church Centre, Birmingham on Saturday 6 November 2004 from 10.00 to 16.30.

Non members are welcome to attend, on payment of £15, plus £8 for a buffet lunch if required.

Details of Railfuture conferences, future and past, can be found on the conferences page.