Highways UK to relocate to the NEC
17 August 2016Highways UK, a major event for the people and organisations involved in the planning, operation and future-proofing of the UK's road network, will relocate from Excel London to Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC) following a successful inaugural event in 2015. The 2016 show will take place at the NEC from 16-17 November 2016.
Organised by Essential Infrastructure Events (EIE) and supported by Highways England, Highways UK combines keynote addresses, an industry briefings programme over three theatres, and exhibition and exhibitor events which are open to all. These are complemented by a chargeable high-level, two-day conference programme and a supper on the night of Wednesday 16 November. The event will open with a keynote presentation from Steve Norris, co-chair of the Highways UK advisory board, and the Leader of Birmingham City Council, Cllr John Clancy, and Maria Machancoses, programme director of the recently formed Midlands Connect is among the illustrious list of conference speakers
Commenting on the relocation, Andrew Dowding, Group Managing Director at EIE, said: “We were delighted with the success of our launch show in London, but decided that the event was better suited to Birmingham and the NEC. The venue is located in the centre of the country’s busiest road networks, which is not only relevant to our show, but also means that our exhibitors and visitors can travel to the venue with ease. We are confident that we can deliver an even better show at the NEC this year.”
The NEC is located just off the busy M42 and M6 motorways and with 75% of the UK population living within a three-hour drive time, the venue’s traffic team is regularly in contact with the local traffic authorities to ensure the surrounding roads are running smoothly; particularly on event days.
Richard Mann, Business Development Director at the NEC, said: “Highways UK offers a fantastic opportunity for the big decision makers in the industry to meet and discuss ways to improve our road networks. It’s a particularly relevant topic for our venue because our customers tell us that transport connectivity is one of the big advantages of holding an event at the NEC. So the future of the road network is vital to their event experience and in turn, our business success. As with all events hosted at our venue, we’re looking forward to calling on our 40 years’ experience of working alongside organisers to help deliver a fantastic event.”