Metro bosses from across the world have taken part in an international conference on railway safety hosted by Nexus.
Rail chiefs from six different continents attended the two-day event, which was held at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland.
Nexus hosted the conference in its role as the owner and custodians of the Tyne and wear Metro system.
The conference welcomed representatives from cities including Hong Kong, London, Kuala Lumpur, Buenos Aires, New York, Paris and Melbourne – to name just a few.
Most of the delegates are staying at Sunderland’s new Hilton Garden Inn hotel, which opened earlier this year.
The aim of the conference was to promote best practice in railway safety by sharing knowledge and expertise.
Director of Rail and Infrastructure at Nexus, Raymond Johnstone, said: “I’m proud that Nexus was able to host this international event and that we were able to bring it to Sunderland.
“The Tyne and Wear Metro is part of a worldwide family of cities that have metro systems. It’s vital that we share knowledge and best practice, especially when it comes to safety, which is our top priority at all times.”
Chair of the Sunderland Chamber of Commerce, Gary Hutchinson, said: “Hosting such a prestigious event is a real coup for Sunderland. The versatility of the Stadium of Light as a venue, alongside the adjacent Hilton Garden Inn, means that major conferences and events can be comfortably accommodated right here on our own doorstep. We are welcoming metro officials from right across the world to the city, which can only help to showcase Sunderland as a great venue for international conferences.”
The workshop is in conjunction with the 2016 Nova case study on ‘Improving Safety Culture’.
Experts are expected to take away new ideas for their own organisations, evidence of successful practices and lessons learned elsewhere.
This will help them in making the case for change with both internal and external stakeholders, and a network of expert peer contacts for potential further contact.