TORG are pleased to announce this week's Wednesday lunchtime seminar.
"Competition Commission Inquiry into the Local Bus Service Industry"
Dr M P Higginson, Advisor to Association of Local Bus Company Managers [ALBUM] and Visiting Researcher, TORG
About the seminar:
The seminar will outline what the government-backed Competition Commission is and then concentrate on the rationale for and progress to date of the its two-year [2010-12] inquiry into the Local Bus Market. The underlying concern was that local bus supply is dominated by the 'Big-5' groups, with a combined market share of circa 80%; and the perception among smaller operators that they are being squeezed out. Apart from presenting some of the provisional findings, the seminar will also demonstrate the academic value of the investigation in making available a huge number of reports: methodological reviews, quantitative and qualitative studies, economic and econometric evaluations, case studies and summaries of evidence presented by bus operators, central and local government bodies including the Department for Transport and other interested parties such as industry associations. But overall, will the inquiry prove worthwhile? Does the CC have teeth? And could any incisive recommendations it might make be nullified by the government's 'cuts' agenda?
To find out more in advance of the seminar, consult the Competition Commission website<http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/inquiries/ref2010/localbus/index.htm>, current inquiries, local bus services .
About the presenter:
Dr. Martin Higginson is an internationally renowned transport economist specialising in public transport. He has 40 years experience in the public and private sectors in road, rail and water transport management, operations, planning, research and consultancy in the UK and overseas. His independent Transport Research & Consultancy business provides analysis and advice on policy development, planning, operations and technology in the bus, coach, heavy and light rail industries; bus-rail integration; regional transport strategy; public transport economics and finance; rail franchising; station and service enhancement; and route re-opening. He is an Adviser to the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company Translink, a Member of the Transport Economics Commission, UITP and a Visiting Researcher at the Transport Operations Research Group, Newcastle University.
Seminar Location:
Please join us on Wednesday 16/02/2011 between 13.00-15:00 in Room 2.32, 2nd Floor, Cassie Building, Claremont Road, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU.
The Cassie Building is building number 49 on the Campus Map<http://www.ncl.ac.uk/about/visit/printablemaps/map-campus.htm> and is about a 5-10 minute walk from Haymarket metro/bus interchange or Jesmond metro station, both of which are easily accessible from Newcastle Central station or Newcastle International Airport. Car parking in and around the University campus is limited, but Park and Ride options are available from seven metro stations within Newcastle - please see the Nexus website Metro Map<http://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/nexus.org.uk/files/images/metro/Metro_Map_3rd_A4.jpg> for more details.
Further information:
The TORG seminars are intended to disseminate ongoing research and encourage detailed discussions of a diverse range of transport topics in an informal environment - for further information on a specific seminar, please contact Dr. Dilum Dissanayake<mailto:[log in to unmask]> or Dr. Gareth Evans<mailto:[log in to unmask]>. The TORG seminars are part of a wider programme within the School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences<http://www.ceg.ncl.ac.uk/> all of which are free of charge and open for external guests to attend. Please let Miss Emma Simblett<mailto:[log in to unmask]> know if you wish to attend a TORG seminar to allow names of external guests to be noted. After the seminar, and where suitable content is available, we try to make the presentations available online<http://www.ceg.ncl.ac.uk/seminars/index.htm>, subject to our presenters giving their permission for us to do so.
We look forward to seeing you.
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