Around 4,000 people are set to attend a major event in Dublin focused on the future of transport.
Transport Research Arena 2024 is Europe’s largest transport and mobility research event and it will take place at the RDS from tomorrow until Thursday.
Organisers say the conference will bring a boost worth €7 million to the Irish economy.
The theme of the event is ‘Transport Transitions: Advancing Sustainable and Inclusive Mobility’ and it will see leading researchers and industry figures gather from the public transport, aviation, marine and engineering sectors to discuss the evolving world of mobility.
The programme at TRA2024 will include indoor and outdoor demonstrations of cutting-edge technology and over 100 scientific and technical presentations and discussions.
Former president of Ireland and Chair of The Elders Mary Robinson has been announced as the keynote speaker at the event’s closing ceremony on Thursday.
Speaking ahead of the conference, Mrs Robinson acknowledged the importance of technological advancement for a sustainable transport future but said political will is vital.
“I have no doubt that we all, as individuals, have our role to play, whether its choosing to use public transport or spearheading the innovation of sustainable modes of transport,” Mrs Robinson said.
“However, political will is what will make or break the success of our push towards that goal. Politicians must lead the way and researchers, entrepreneurs and the public must demand they play their part in cleaning up our transport options,” she added.
John McCarthy of The Department of Transport is Chairperson of the Management Committee for TRA2024.
He described Mrs Robinson’s contribution as extremely valuable.
“We are very fortunate to have been able to build a conference programme which focuses on what can be achieved for sustainable and inclusive transport through world-class research and innovation,” Mr McCarthy said.
“Hearing from a leader of Mrs Robinson’s stature at our closing ceremony will serve as a reminder of what needs to happen to harness the full potential of all of our contributions to the sector,” he added.
TRA2024 is supported by the European Commission and the Irish Government.
