Our next interactive live debate will assess how far the rail industry can realise the potential of these trends.

In the latest live debate organised by Railway Gazette on Tuesday May 17, a panel of high-level speakers will address the key issues: 

• What are the examples of best practice in use of data tools in the international railway sector? In which applications is it already being deployed?
• What kind of operational data are passenger and freight operators seeking to help them to optimise their services?
• How far can the supply industry help to deliver advanced analytics to support operators and maintenance teams, and what are the risks of being held captive to proprietary systems?
• How can IT tools help infrastructure managers to mitigate the effects of increasing loads on ageing physical assets? Can advanced analytical tools bring a step change in understanding emerging risks to the railway, such as climate change?
• What are the benefits of real-time monitoring and automation in the inspection and maintenance processes, for both trains and infrastructure? 
• What investments should railways make to ensure that their assets are networked and that their IT architecture can handle the resulting data? What steps must railways take to ensure they are getting actionable information and not just noise?
• How far must recruitment policies change to ensure that the global rail sector has the right skills for the digital railway era? 

Register now to take part in our interactive debate, streamed live from London‚Äôs Tower Bridge Studio, listen to the presentations and pose your own questions. 

Moderator: Chris Jackson, Editor-in-Chief, Railway Gazette Group

Speakers (to be confirmed):

• Adam Stead, Senior Innovation Advisor, Rail, Hack Partners
• Justin Southcombe, Commercial Director, Perpetuum
• Simon Tonks, Head of IT, Porterbrook Leasing
• Steve Foot, Head of Asset Condition, London Underground
• Philippe de Laharpe, Project Chief, Telediagnostics, SNCF
• A representative of ABB

Don't miss out, save the date and register now:

Tuesday May 17 2016, 12.00 to 12.45 BST

Sponsored by ABB