Getting a good deal for transport users

Robert gathers the views of transport users and shares them with those who can make a difference to their future experiences. He brings almost 30 years experience gained in research agencies to his role.

Favourite journey: a two-day boat trip along the Mekong River in Thailand and Laos.

Sarah works on a variety of research projects among transport users including our Transport User Communities. She comes from a research agency background where she worked for a range of brands globally.

Favourite journey: train journey from Berlin to Prague.

Kate is currently managing director of The Public Good Company, advising on strategy, commercialisation, and growth and service modernisation through technology throughout the public and third sectors. She is vice-chair of Accelerate, an award-winning social enterprise, and was previously a board member for St Martin of Tours which provides accommodation for individuals with mental health needs, and Healthwatch Croydon, the consumer champion for health and social care.

Siobhan looks after the diaries and provides support to the CEO Anthony Smith and our Chair Jeff Halliwell. She has a background in education and the arts.

Favourite journey: train journeys in America, especially the route from Yosemite to Portland and gazing at the beautiful forests from the observation carriage.

Shahid manages the finances for Transport Focus and regular reporting to management team, Board and our sponsors Department for Transport. Previously worked for the NHS.

Favourite journey: Always the one home!

David joined Transport Focus in 2006. He has campaigned on issues affecting bus, coach and tram passengers and now oversees work on behalf of all transport users. Prior to Transport Focus, he represented the needs and interests of energy consumers at energywatch, where he was North West regional director.

Favourite journey: Manchester to Sheffield by train. Lovely journey with stunning scenery whatever the weather, though best when bright, cold and sunny.

Cathie works with train operating companies to ensure the voice of the user is heard, and represents passengers at the Network Rail Anglia Route Supervisory Board. She also works with Highways England on improving the experience of disabled road users and manages the Transport Focus Accessibility Forum.

Best journey is travelling by rail between Exeter and Newton Abbot in south Devon, where rail meets the sea. Never tire of the view out of the train window.

Hazel joined Transport Focus in 2014 as acting Head of Communications and has since moved on to a public affairs role. She previously worked for an environmental consumer organisation and held several government roles.

Favourite journey: by train, the dramatic stretch from Teignmouth through Dawlish and up the Exe estuary. By road, the A4117 in Shropshire towards Ludlow gives a fabulous view of the ‘patchwork quilt’ type landscape.

David has worked in transport for 40 years. He leads our work in Wales with key stakeholders across national and local government, transport providers and passenger groups, making a difference for transport users.

Favourite journey: seeing the Black Mountains on the Marches train line, or when the sea comes into view along the North Wales coast/Swansea Bay.

Phil makes sure that government investment in roads is in line with what users want. He is a former civil servant with 20 years experience in transport strategy.

Favourite journey: the best part of any journey is an empty road ahead and scenery to inspire!

Misha is experienced in both internal and external communications, and previously worked at the Rail Safety and Standards Board as well as one of London’s largest housing associations.

Favourite journey: having gone to university in Hull, the journey up from London (on the rare times I took the train rather than the Megabus) will always be my favourite.

David manages and advises on surveys of transport users, bringing over 30 years experience in public sector research roles.

Favourite journey: travelling from Paris to Nice on the TGV.

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Jeff brings extensive marketing, commercial and leadership experience to the Transport Focus board, which he has chaired since 2015. His career spans the food, health, education and transport industries, including time at international companies Mars and Colgate-Palmolive. He has led household name businesses Fox’s Biscuits, Bernard Matthews and First Milk.

Favourite journey: two favourites - driving the coast-to-coast across the USA and going to Istanbul by train.

Jordan works on policy issues relating to rail fares, Delay Repay and more.

Favourite journey: by train, or more often than not the M6, the best journey is one that ends in the Lake District.

Louise has worked in research and insight for more than 15 years and for Transport Focus since 2012. Before joining Transport Focus she worked in various research agencies on a range of projects for government and commercial clients in education, health, transport, financial and other sectors.

Using his 25 years of service with British Rail and the privatised North West Regional Railways, John advises Transport Focus on railway matters.

Favourite journey: Denver to Salt Lake City on the one-time Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad’s route - through the Rockies in a six-mile tunnel at over 9,000 feet above sea level, through the Colorado canyons and across the deserts of Utah.

Having qualified as a solicitor, Anthony worked for five years as principal consumer lawyer for the Consumers’ Association, publishers of Which? This was followed by a year as the legal consultant for Consumers International, a worldwide federation of consumer groups. Prior to joining Transport Focus, Anthony was deputy and acting director of ICSTIS, the regulator of premium rate telephone services. He is also a member of the Civil Aviation Authority’s Consumer Panel.

Favourite journey: top bus journey is the Purbeck Breezer, on rail it’s the trip from Manchester to Sheffield, and the best car journey is the Medway Bridge on the M2. However, nothing tops the journey home.

Nigel is responsible for providing professional support on all resource issues, including staff, finance and procurement, premises, and information technology. He joined Transport Focus in 2005 and has substantial experience of the challenges in delivering finance, human resources and IT support services in the public sector.

Favourite journey: one that takes me somewhere fascinating.

Murray runs the Strategic Roads User Survey, the Logistics and Coach Survey, the annual Motorway Services User Survey, and is our research lead on accessibility issues. He has prior experience in research, customer analysis, and strategy roles mainly within the banking sector. Murray is a certified member of the Market Research Society.

Favourite journey: cycling into work on a bright summer morning... least favourite would have to be cycling home on a wet and windy winter evening!

Trisha is an experienced chair and non-executive director, with experience in the public, private and voluntary sectors, and with a particular focus on regulated industries. Her professional background is in consumer affairs. For over twenty years she was a senior executive in UK and Scottish consumer organisations. She is widely recognised as a national consumer expert and was awarded an OBE for services to consumer affairs in 2015.

Worst journey: spending eight hours on a return journey between Glasgow and Edinburgh in the 2010 winter freeze, and not even getting off the train, never mind getting to my meeting. We spent half of that journey on a bridge looking down at a motorway, watching motorists being rescued after spending the night in their cars, but I have to say the train staff were heroes!

Freeha is responsible for maintaining good relationships and managing engagement with stakeholders. Learning and development background with over 10 years experience. The only impossible journey is one you never begin.

Arthur spent nine years at Virgin Trains, during which time its customer satisfaction became the best in the rail industry. He has also worked in Cabinet Office and the Department of Energy and Climate Change. Prior to this, he worked as a political, City and transport journalist at The Times. Arthur now chairs London TravelWatch.

Worst journey: travelling from a party political conference in Blackpool when hundreds of people were stranded without good information. But at least it made MPs aware of communication problems and changes were subsequently made, so perhaps it proved to be the best journey.

Hannah works closely with the media and provides communications support to our campaigning activity. Her PR experience has seen her campaign in sectors including education, financial services and energy.

Favourite journey: Munich to Füssen by train. Mountain views all the way!

Sara makes sure we talk to each other and the outside world effectively. She is an ex-journalist with 15 years PR experience.

Favourite journey: the best part of any journey north, by train or car, is the moment the Angel comes into sight.

Oliver manages Transport Focus’s social media output and advises the organisation on marketing, advertising and promotional concerns for campaigns. Oliver has a background in news media, television production and politics.

Worst journey: Oliver’s worst journey was when he discovered train timetables in Canada are measured in days rather than hours, minutes and seconds.

Jon oversees the business service team and is responsible for all aspects of corporate governance, including board appointments, business planning and change management. After ten years in the private sector, Jon joined British Rail is 1996 before being appointed deputy director and network coordinator of the then Central Rail Users’ Consultative Committee, Transport Focus’s forerunner, in 1998.

Favourite journey: it starts at London St Pancras catching the early evening train to Paris Nord. It’s then on to Paris Austerlitz for an overnight train to Montauban.

Michelle works closely with key stakeholders in Wales to ensure the passenger voice is heard. She has extensive experience in policy and planning, public protection, and quality improvement, gained in environments including education and policing.

Favourite journey: overnight sleeper train from Moscow to St Petersburg, or a slow jaunt on the picturesque Heart of Wales Line.

Theo was appointed in 2015 with a specific focus on the interests of road users, following a long career in transportation. Theo has over 30 years of board level experience in logistics and supply chain and was chief executive of the Freight Transport Association for eight years. In 2016 Theo was elected to the Motor Transport Hall of Fame in recognition of his service to the road transport industry.

Favourite journey: from Jasper to Banff in Canada via Lake Louise - brown bears and moose at the side of the road and you can visit the glacier and ice fields en route.

Yvonne works closely with our stakeholders to ensure the transport user is represented. She has a background in the careers service, having spent 12 years as a guidance practitioner.

Favourite journey: the journey over Woodhead Pass (A628) through the Peak District. Beautiful all year round but particularly in autumn, when there’s a stunning array of colours. It also signals that I’m nearing home!

Mike has been advising on bus policy since 2009, helping to shape research, writing and editing reports and contributing to discussions with stakeholders.

Favourite journey: Eurostar to anywhere.

Keith is the former chair of the Civil Aviation Authority’s Consumer Panel and is currently chair of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, advising the Department for Transport on access, equality and vulnerability issues. He is a panel member at the Competition and Markets Authority, and a member of the Financial Services Consumer Panel at the Financial Conduct Authority. Keith is a barrister, arbitrator and commercial mediator and has particular expertise in alternative dispute resolution and Ombudsman schemes.

Lee works with key stakeholders, using our research to make a difference for road users and public transport passengers.

Favourite journey: passing under the Disney World banner on a family holiday to Florida and driving over the NASA causeway bridge on the way to Kennedy Space Centre.

Louise is a senior stakeholder manager.

Linda chairs the West Midlands Bus Alliance and works closely with senior rail stakeholders in the region. She is the key Transport Focus contact with Govia Thameslink Railway and Network Rail’s Southern route.

Favourite journey: travelling by bus around the Norfolk coast, by Irish Rail around Dublin Bay and from Penzance to St Ives in Cornwall.

Ian focuses on the impact of new technologies and business models in transport and looks at extending the ways of gathering feedback from transport users. He also establishes partnerships with other organisations to boost what we can do on behalf of transport users. Ian has previously worked in research agencies, consultancies and ran his own company.

Favourite journey: some of my best journeys have been on a long-distance train down to Cornwall.

Robert liaises with all levels of Government and transport providers, advocates for the best deal for transport users, and uses our insight to secure improvements for transport users. He joined Transport Focus in 1999, after eighteen years working for British Rail.

Favourite journey: a hark back to childhood days during the summer holidays when we would join a mystery bus tour from Motherwell to some unknown exotic destination. The mystery lasted a few minutes - if the bus turned right it meant Troon or Saltcoats, left it meant Portobello. Happy days!

Geoff ensures the voice of the passenger is at the forefront of service delivery across rail, bus, road and metro throughout the West Midlands. He has 25 years management experience in telecomms, steel, consultancy and sport.

Favourite journey: to my home city of Liverpool - home of football and the school of science that is Anfield.

Andrew ensures that all the projects we undertake are regularly reviewed and reported to management team and board each month.

Favourite journey: London St Pancras to Paris via Eurostar - more relaxing than flying, plus you get to see some great countryside.

Mike joined Transport Focus in 1995 (as part of the then regional network of passenger committees) before moving on to national policy issues. He is heavily involved in fares, franchising and consumer policy.

Katherine is part of the policy team and her work focuses on rail contracts (previously known as rail franchises). Drawing on our research, she works with the Department for Transport and the rail industry to ensure passenger interests are at the heart of any new agreements.

Favourite journey: from Nuwara Eliya to Ella in Sri Lanka by train.

Emma Gibson joined London TravelWatch as director in January 2020, having previously worked for Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth. She has extensive experience in strategy and campaigning and a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Dan works on a range of policy issues including accessibility, passenger information during disruption and personal security. He also contributes to our work on rolling stock design and has managed several projects looking at passenger expectations of new trains.

Favourite journey: the long drive down to Cornwall from Sussex and arriving in a world far removed from the usual train commute to London.

Keith has over 45 years experience in market research. He is responsible for making sure we have the evidence to support our policy work and recommendations.

Favourite journey: a brake van trip through the long-closed Woodhead tunnel, or London to Brussels on the (also long gone) night ferry.

Rob is a former member of parliament, minister at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and parliamentary private secretary to George Osborne, Chancellor. He is currently an independent director of the Consumer Council for Water and a non-executive director of the Marine Management Organisation. He is also a Daily Telegraph columnist.

Kalpna has a background in Business Psychology and currently works within the Corporate Services team assisting both HR and Finance.

Best Journey: Manchester to Sheffield – the view is just beautiful!
Worst Journey: Attempting to bring fresh homemade bakes into the office during a very busy morning commute!

William has been active in Welsh public affairs since 2004 as a county councillor, National Park Authority member and member of the National Assembly for Wales until 2016. He is currently county councillor for Talgarth Ward in Powys. William has a strong interest in rural policy, sustainability and transport. He has been a board member of several organisations in the voluntary sector.

Favourite journey: favourite UK train journey is from Shrewsbury to Barmouth, along the stunning Cambrian Line. Internationally, it has to be the journey from Nice to Marseille.

Toby gathers and analyses the views of transport users to help improve future experiences. He is a market and social researcher with 15 years experience.

Favourite journey: those I make to spend a long weekend watching live music with friends.

Isabel brings 20 years experience of investing in transport infrastructure in the UK, Europe, Americas and Asia Pacific to the board of Transport Focus. She is a member of the board of the Pensions Infrastructure Platform. For Transport Focus, Isabel focuses on accessibility and diversity issues and is chair of the Audit, Risk Assurance and Remuneration Committee.