TikTok trainspotter to attend Wales’ first public transport summit

TikTok trainspotter Francis Bourgeois will attend Wales’ first public transport summit later this month.

Taking place 22 and 23 May at Wrexham University, the summit will bring together transport leaders and build collaborative momentum that’s needed to shape a transport system fit for the future.

Francis has gained cult status for his warm, uplifting and engaging trainspotting adventures and has rapidly become one of the UK’s most recognisable digital creators, with a global reach.

In 2023, he wrote the Trainspotters Notebook – a joyous love letter to rail travel.

Experience

Lewis Brencher, Communications and Customer Director at TfW said:  “It’s great to be hosting Francis Bourgeois at our Public Transport Summit as it provides us with an opportunity to promote our new trains and buses, encouraging more people to use them.

“At TfW we’ve been working hard to really improve the customer experience on public transport and that includes investing £800 million into brand-new trains across the whole Wales and Borders network, adding modern electrified buses to our TrawsCymru network and a billion-pound investment in the South Wales Metro.

“We’ve seen an increase in the number of people using our public transport network and we now want to further promote our investment and attract more people to use it.”

Tour

The summit will provide an opportunity for the public, private and tertiary sector to work together and share visions for the future of public transport in Wales and the Borders.

It will include themed speaker and panel sessions, an innovation lab, themed workshops, an exhibition zone, a networking reception, an active travel tour of Wrexham’s regeneration plans and dinner at Wrexham SToK Racecourse.

Speakers will include Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of Wrexham AFC Michael Williamson, Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Director of Ambition North Wales Alwen Williams.

For the past six years, TfW has been transforming Welsh public transport including investing £800 billion into brand-new trains and over £1 billion into the South Wales Metro.

For Summit information, speakers and tickets, please visit: www.tfw.wales/summit