This year’s theme is road and rail transportation.

The event will provide a forum to showcase policy drivers, technological development, sustainability and engineering innovations in all aspects of road and rail transportation. The event will feature submitted and invited papers and career development in leadership.

The programme format will comprise three 1.5 hour sessions with a keynote speaker and three shorter presentations followed by a discussion. A parallel stream will offer personal development programmes. There is scope in the programme for a further stream of sponsored technology workshops.

Expressions of interest for sponsorship and a call for papers closed on 7 June. Abstracts of 200 words should be submitted to conference@wes.org.uk with ‘Getting there’, ‘abstract’ and the author's name in the subject line. Papers should be presented with topical content in an accessible way for an informed techncial general audience. Topics might include:

• Health and safety
• Disaster planning
• Transport futures
• Innovation
•  Sustainability, energy conservation, fuel economy
• Construction – road, rail, interchanges
• Traffic management
• Leadership

Submissions are welcome from women and men.

Abstracts should be accompanied by a short biopic of 100 words and a photo for inclusion in the programe. Copyright and permission forms will be available to enable publication of the papers either or both in the WES website or quarterly journal.