NEWS
Metro Mayor talks the future of technology
LL03
More rail misery on the cards
By DANNY MOXON Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has said that commercialising inventions made in the Liverpool City Region (LCR) is “one of the biggest priorities” for his tenure as the area’s Metro Mayor. The Metro Mayor was speaking at the region’s first Digital Summit, an event intended to bring together local entrepreneurs involved in the digital industry, for them to discuss their ideas and hear the Metro Mayor’s vision for the future of the industry in the LCR. The event took place at Shop Direct, in the Estuary Commerce Park in Speke. The convention included the speech from Mr Rotheram, talks about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR), and a speech from Vice-President of Open Innovation at Wirral-based Unilever, Dr Jon Hague. Mr Rotheram used the conference as an opportunity to talk about his plans for the region’s economy. He said: “Since becoming the Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor in May of this year, I have had the opportunity to see first- hand how we are leading and pioneering across a range of emerging and transformational technologies. “Whether it is big data, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, the internet of things, autonomous systems, or augmented reality - we are still at the heart of
By CHLOE GEORGE Steve Rotheram innovation. “Over the last five months I have been impressed, inspired and astonished by the breadth of innovation and potential across our City Region.” In an ambitious speech to the Digital Summit, the Metro Mayor highlighted the area’s uniquely competitive asset base, including the UK’s most powerful computing centre at the Hartree Centre, and an emerging cluster of tech companies beginning to make a real global impact. He said: “My aim is to make the city region that was the gateway to the first Industrial Revolution a globally important centre in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. “By combining world-class digital connectivity and a predictable source of renewable energy we can make a uniquely attractive and compelling offer to
L-R: Clement Wargerin (MD vTime), Kevin Prescott (Head of Specialist Sales, o2 Telefonica UK), Kate Willard (Stobart Group), Alison Kennedy (Director, STFC Hartree Centre), Steve Rotheram, John Whaling (Liverpool City Region LEP)
global tech companies pledged to achieve carbon neutrality. “When you combine that with a world-class talent pool, there’s no reason why we cannot compete successfully with leading international cities.” There was also a very special live VR link-up from the conference with Terry Beaubois, an academic and tech guru based in Silicon Valley, California, home to many of the world’s largest technological companies, including Apple, Google and Tesla, among others. Mr Beaubois acknowledged the strength of Liverpool’s growing tech cluster, and commended the City Region’s ambition to become a global player. He said: “I have worked with Liverpool company Red Ninja on smart projects in India and Silicon Valley for the last few years. “Liverpool has some amazing innovative companies and it was exciting to discuss how we how technology can change the region.” Mr Rotheram’s technological battle-cry comes after an independent report was published last week, which recommended that the government should “work with industry and experts to establish an AI Council to help co-ordinate and grow the industry in the UK”. It has been estimated that AI could add an additional £630bn to the UK economy by 2035 The Metro Mayor’s speech nodoubt takes inspiration from this report, and he will be hoping that an increase in the production in the LCR will help boost the local economy.
Further rail strikes have been announced for early next month as disputes continue over driveronly trains. Travellers across Merseyside can expect disruptions on November 8th between 00.01 hours and 23.59 hours, as the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMT) announce workers will be taking strike action, due to negotiations between the union and train-operating companies failing to reach a conclusion. The strikes, which will affect both Merseyrail and Arriva Rail North, are the next in a series of walkouts that have been taking place by rail workers across the UK. The dispute is over plans to start operating trains without a guard on board, which the union describes as being ‘safety critical’. RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said; “Every single effort that RMT has made to reach negotiated settlements in these separate disputes with the different train operating companies over safe operation and safe staffing has been kicked back in our faces. “We are left with no option but to confirm a further phase of industrial action in early November. “It is frankly ludicrous that we have been able to negotiate long-term arrangements in Scotland and Wales that protect the guards and passenger safety but we are being denied the same opportunities with rail companies in England.” Further talks are expected to take place between unions and train operators. Merseyrail was unable to provide a comment at the time LL went to press. Bus strike action: P4