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Darren Capes (ITS Policy Lead at Department for Transport)

Darren Capes

ITS Policy Lead at Department for Transport

Darren Capes FIET FIHE is Intelligent Transport Systems Policy Lead at the Department for Transport and focuses on the adoption of emerging vehicle, infrastructure and data technologies by the UK’s highway authorities.

A qualified civil engineer, his current role involves leading ITS policy and supporting local authorities in engaging with the Future of Transport agenda and ensuring the UK’s road authorities are prepared for the challenges to come.

A Fellow of both the IHE and IET, Darren manages the UK’s Transport Technology Forum on behalf of the DfT and is a member of the ITS World Congress Programme Committee. As well as sitting on the Board of LCRIG, Darren is Senior Vice President of the IHE, Chair the IET’s National Transport Policy Panel and a board member of ITS(UK).

Paul Chandler (D-TRO Service Owner at Department for Transport)

Paul Chandler

D-TRO Service Owner at Department for Transport

Paul has worked in the industry for over 20 years. He joined the DfT in 2018, but prior to that he worked for a local council, a contractor and a utility company. Paul is currently Head of Traffic Management Digital Services at the Department for Transport. He is the Service Owner for the Digital Traffic Orders project and also the Product Owner for the Street Manager. Paul is passionate about delivering digital solutions that work for users and enable innovation.

Paula Claytonsmith (Chief Executive at Local Council Roads Innovation Group CIC Limited)

Paula Claytonsmith

Chief Executive at Local Council Roads Innovation Group CIC Limited

Paula is LCRIG’s Chief Executive and formerly its Director, Government and Strategy. Paula has had a career spanning a range of sectors including leading local government frontline services in councils, Assistant Director for a national public sector improvement agency tasked with performance improvement in councils, KPMG Government Advisory, international consulting assignments, political lobbying sector, and independent national government advisory roles as a strategist and policy advisor. Paula has also worked in executive leadership roles in the charitable sector including a major stem cell cancer charity leading their operations department and a strategic policy and lobbying role in a leading environmental charity focused on behaviour change to improve local environmental quality.

In 2015 Paula joined the Highways sector working at a Highways Technology company, she didn’t previously have a highways background but is now a passionate advocate for the industry and wonders why she never became an Engineer!

Working in the Highways sector Paula has been a guest on several BBC Radio4 programmes relating to Infrastructure, international radio and TV programmes, quoted in The Sunday Times, authored articles for IHE, CIHT, RSMA, LCRIG Insights and spoken regularly at national industry conferences both in the UK and internationally. In 2018, Paula was an expert witness to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee on Local Roads Funding and Governance with acknowledgement by the Committee Chair in the House of Commons and Hansards. Paula is a Steering Group Member for several industry groups including Road Condition Statistics (PAS 2161), NIC CAM expert group, NAO Reports, Industry think papers and provides policy advisory support the DfT Transport Technology Forum which LCRIG manages. Paula is part of the National Highways strategic Research and Innovation Advisory Board (RIAB), was a technical committee member for PIARC (World Roads Association), and latterly appointed to the Institute Highways Engineer Council.

Paula is well known for her Friday Vlogs on LinkedIn where she gets distracted by her love of nature but enjoys providing lively updates on her weekly LCRIG activities supporting members in councils, the private sector, the government, and policy and strategy arenas.

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Jessica Cobbett

AI Policy and Strategy Lead at Department for Transport
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Matt Coleman

Head of Data Policy at Department for Transport
Gafoor Din (Service Manager for Traffic Control and Information Systems at Warwickshire County Council)

Gafoor Din

Service Manager for Traffic Control and Information Systems at Warwickshire County Council

Responsible for the delivery of the whole service associated with Traffic Control & Information Systems within Warwickshire County.

Committee member of the ADEPT Traffic Systems Group and UK Lighting and Technology Board.

Chair of the Midlands Highway Alliance Plus Traffic Signal Group

Also a Council member for Institute of Highways Engineers responsible for the development for the IHE Professional Certificate in Traffic Signal Control and the delivery of the ITS course.

Anthony Ferguson (Deputy Director Traffic & Technology of Department for Transport)

Anthony Ferguson

Deputy Director Traffic & Technology of Department for Transport

Anthony is a Deputy Director in the Department for Transport in charge of Traffic & Technology. This role encompasses traditional traffic management policy such as traffic signs, street design, streetworks and the Blue Badge scheme. His role also involves exploring the potential for data and emerging technology to improve the safety, efficiency and environmental performance of our road networks. Anthony’s team runs the Street Manager digital service and work on digitalisation of traffic orders. Anthony is also responsible for developing policy on micromobility including, the national trials of e-scooters.

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Shamala Gadgil

EV Infrastrucutre Programme Manager at Coventry City Council
Stephen George (Lead TTF UTMC WG at UTMC)

Stephen George

Lead TTF UTMC WG at UTMC

Steve is an experienced and versatile ITS practitioner, project and programme manager with experience gained in both private and public-sector organisations. He is the founder and Director of SG Transport Innovation Ltd (SGTI) established in July 2006. SGTI brings a wealth of experience, and a successful track record of ITS system deployment derived from the experience gained from over 30 years in the traffic industry, seven of which have been spent as a practitioner in local government at the forefront of ITS system delivery. Steve is a member of CIHT, the IHE, and ITS UK. He’s a Director of UTMC Ltd and leads the TTF UTMC Working Group.

Steve Gooding (Chair, TTF at Transport Technology Forum, RAC Foundation)

Steve Gooding

Chair, TTF at Transport Technology Forum, RAC Foundation

Steve is Director of the RAC Foundation, an independent motoring research charity. Foundation output has covered many aspects of motoring policy, urban mobility, and transport technology, including research reports relating to full and partial vehicle automation and the potential of vehicle connectivity.

Before taking over at the Foundation in 2015 Steve enjoyed a long civil service career, joining in 1983 after graduating from Durham University, and moving to the Transport Department in 1987. After spells at the Office of the Rail Regulator and the Cabinet Office, he was DfT’s Roads Director from 2004 and then Director General for Roads, Traffic & Local Transport from 2009-2015.
Steve is a past President of CILT UK, a member of the Highways Sector Council, and contributes on various advisory boards including the CCAV’s CAVPASS forum.

Andy Graham (Head of Connected Vehicles at TTF)

Andy Graham

Head of Connected Vehicles at TTF

Andy is principal of White Willow Consulting and chairs the TTF Connected Vehicle Group, having been one of the founder members of the TTF.

He has a wide range of experience in ITS and Connected vehicles, traffic signalling and roadside systems.

Louise Lancaster (Head of Wireless Infrastructure Strategy at DSIT)

Louise Lancaster

Head of Wireless Infrastructure Strategy at DSIT

Louise Lancaster has worked in the Digital Infrastructure Directorate of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (originally in DCMS) since 2017. She began as a sector expert in the 5G Testbeds & Trials programme, went on to head up the Barrier Busting Task Force (addressing barriers to deployment of telecoms infrastructure) and is now head of Wireless Infrastructure Strategy. Before becoming a civil servant Louise spent more than 20 years in the telecoms industry in a variety of legal, regulatory and policy roles.

Chris Lane (Head of Transport Innovation at Transport for West Midlands)

Chris Lane

Head of Transport Innovation at Transport for West Midlands

Chris Lane is Strategic Head of Transport Innovation at Transport for West Midlands. In this role he delivers change through people, processes and technology across a portfolio of programmes, including Mobility as a Service, Connected and Autonomous Mobility programmes and developing new ways of travel through the West Midlands Future Transport Zone as well as enabling the take up of Ultra Low Emissions Vehicles. Working in transport for most of his life, he has had the opportunity to deliver significant changes to transport and is leading the delivery of the ITS World Congress in Birmingham in 2027.

Michaela Nelson (Head of Future Telecoms and Digital Connectivity at Department for Transport)

Michaela Nelson

Head of Future Telecoms and Digital Connectivity at Department for Transport

Fast, reliable and secure connectivity underpins large parts of our transport network and our reliance on digital connectivity is growing. Michaela is working across DfT and its agencies to understand the future telecoms requirements of the UK's transport network and to ensure that the UK has the necessary digital connectivity to support new and emerging use cases such as connected vehicles, connected infrastructure and advanced air mobility.

Mike Potter (Head of Customer Success at AppyWay)

Mike Potter

Head of Customer Success at AppyWay

Mike Potter, Head of Customer Success at AppyWay, combines over a decade of local highway authority experience with tech-forward thinking. His expertise in Traffic Order processes has driven innovative map-based solutions for local authorities. Mike contributed to managing traffic and parking for the London 2012 Olympic sailing events in Weymouth. He champions data standardisation to enhance highway services, particularly advocating for the full utilisation of D-TROs in Kerbside and Network Management

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Sarah Randall

Local Government and Propositions Director of Agena Group / NPED
Neale Ryan (Head of Land and Maritime Transport at Innovate UK)

Neale Ryan

Head of Land and Maritime Transport at Innovate UK

Neale Ryan is Head of Land and Maritime Transport at Innovate UK, the UK's innovation agency. Neale leads a team that delivers a range of innovation programmes focused on transport decarbonisation, connectivity & autonomy and making the whole transport system safer and more efficient.

Agne Vaitekenaite (Partnership Development Manager at ERTICO - ITS Europe)

Agne Vaitekenaite

Partnership Development Manager at ERTICO - ITS Europe

Agne Vaitekenaite is a Partnership Development Manager at ERTICO - ITS EUROPE, where she is managing public-private stakeholders across the EMEA region to foster sustainable and smart mobility. She works closely with the ERTICO (potential) partners to identify opportunities for cooperation, develop joint projects, and promote the uptake of ITS solutions that address common transport challenges. Agne is also the host of the ERTICO podcast "Connecting Dots & Talks," providing a platform for thought leadership and industry insights. She is also a speaker in conferences, where she advocates for sustainable and smart mobility.

Before joining ERTICO, Agne worked at the team of the former First Vice-President of the European Parliament, focusing on projects and partnerships related to the EU Green Deal. Her extensive experience spans advocacy, public relations, public affairs.