World Congress on Railway Research reinforces Birmingham’s position as international transport hub, as event steams into the ICC

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It has been announced that the World Congress on Railway Research 2022 (“WCRR”) will take place at the ICC, Birmingham, UK, following a competitive global bid process. On behalf of the UK rail industry, the RSSB and the University of Birmingham will jointly run the international congress at the ICC from 6-10 June 2022.

Bringing together industry leaders and researchers, WCRR is a forum for the global railway research community to share the latest research, innovations and solutions across different topics. Held every three years in a different host nation, the congress carries a mission to promote the value and benefits of railway research, excellence in research and technology development, and worldwide collaboration and sharing of technical knowledge.

 

The ICC offers an ideal platform for WCRR to stage a successful event. The venue has a rich history of hosting globally renowned events and is currently preparing suitably for the reignition of the events industry post-pandemic.

Sandra Eyre, Senior Account Manager at the ICC, said: “The aim of WCRR is to share research and new ideas which have the potential to enhance the customer experience of rail customers across the globe, and here at the ICC, we possess the same ethos of delivering exemplary experiences for international delegations. A first for Birmingham and the UK, we are extremely proud to host the 2022 congress. Based in the heart of the country, and boasting fantastic transport links, we look forward to our visitors learning what our booming city and venue have to offer.”

RSSB is a founding member of WCRR and embraces the opportunity that each congress offers in sharing novel finding and solutions to challenges faced in the rail sector across the globe.

Luisa Moisio, RSSB R&D Programme Director, said: “With the level of activity and development of the British network underway in terms of infrastructure projects, R&D programmes and activities to meet key ambitious targets, our rail landscape is in the midst of an exciting and crucial shift, with innovation at its core. Increasing research quality and speed, putting findings quickly into action and fostering international co-operation to work together on the common challenges faced by the railways will be key to our ability to attract customers back, deliver great value for money and lead on transport sustainability. This is why RSSB and the University of Birmingham, with the backing of UK Government, the City of Birmingham and on behalf of the UK R&I community as a whole, we will be welcoming the global rail community to the vibrant city of Birmingham for the 13th WCRR in 2022.”

Birmingham, the UK’s second largest city, is a key hub in the national rail network and the developing high-speed network. Birmingham New Street Station, located just a 10-minute walk from the ICC, is also the busiest interchange station in the UK.

Alex Burrows, Director at the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) said: “We are delighted and honoured to be part of the UK team jointly hosting WCRR 2022. The UK has a rich history of railway development with some exciting new capabilities and projects in the pipeline, not least HS2. I look forward to seeing as many delegates as possible at what I know will be a memorable an historic congress.”

For further details about the event, please visit www.wcrr2022.co.uk or contact info@wcrr2022.co.uk.