Norman Baker MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport

Mr Baker was born in Aberdeen and raised in Hornchurch, attending the Royal Liberty School in Gidea Park, before going on to earn a BA degree in German from the University of London.  Prior to entering the House of Commons in 1997 he had a variety of jobs, including periods as an executive for Our Price Records and as an English teacher. He also served as a local councillor in East Sussex before becoming Leader of Lewes District Council in 1991.  In recent years Mr Baker has held a number of portfolios in the Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet, including Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Shadow Secretary of State for Transport.

Giles Fearnley, Chairman, Confederation of Passenger Transport UK

Giles has spent his entire career in the passenger transport industry, starting with Sheffield Transport Department in 1972. At National Bus Company privatisation he was appointed Managing Director of West Yorkshire Roadcar Company and in 1991 he led an MBO forming Blazefield Holdings. His other interests include being Chairman of both Grand Central Railway Company and Journey Solutions, and Deputy Chairman of Abellio. Giles was President of the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT) in 2008 and last year (2009) he was appointed Chairman of CPT.

Sir Moir Lockhead, Chief Executive, First Group

Moir Lockhead left school at 15 and started work as an apprentice mechanic.  He followed a career in engineering until he joined Grampian Regional Transport in 1985 as General Manager, where he led a successful employee/management buy-out of the company in 1989. Since then, as founding Director and CEO, he has seen the company grow to be the largest provider of rail and bus services in the UK and, with over 60,000 yellow school buses, the largest provider of school bus travel in the USA and Canada.  Sir Moir was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 1996. In 2008 he was awarded a Knighthood for services to transport in the Queen’s Birthday Honours and was named IoD Scotland Director of the Year.

Brian Souter, Chief Executive, Stagecoach Group plc

Brian Souter, aged 56, is Chief Executive of Stagecoach Group plc, one of Britain’s largest transport operators.  He founded the company with his sister, Ann Gloag, with two buses in 1980 to become a major bus and rail operator employing more than 30,000 people worldwide.  He was Chairman and Chief Executive of the company until March 1998 and the architect of the Company’s strategy and management philosophy.  Mr Souter, a qualified chartered accountant, has been the recipient of a number of awards, including the Scottish Business Achievement Award in 1989 and the Scottish Entrepreneur Award in 1998.  He received an honorary degree from Strathclyde University in 1997 and from Abertay University in 1999 plus others.

John Henkel, Director of Passenger Services, WYPTE

John Henkel has worked at Metro (West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive) since 1995 and became Director of Passenger Services in June 2001.  As Director of Passenger Services he is responsible for Metro’s wide range of customer services as well as its role in local bus services, including concessionary travel arrangements.

Chris Cheek, Director, The TAS Partnership

Chris has worked in the public transport industry for 38 years. He is a director of The TAS Partnership Ltd, the leading specialist public transport consultancy, and of its publishing arm TAS Publications & Events Ltd. He is also a director of Transport Events Group, organisers of the UK Bus Awards and UK Coach Awards.  He is editor of the TAS Business Monitor service, the web site and publishing project that reports on the market and financial performance of our public transport industries.  He writes regularly, both for the trade press and now the popular TAS blog.

David Brown, Managing Director – Surface Transport, TfL

David Brown became Managing Director of Surface Transport at Transport for London in August 2006 with responsibility for London Buses, the Public Carriage Office, Dial-a-Ride, Victoria Coach Station, cycling and walking, TfL river piers and Transport Policing and Enforcement.  He is also responsible for the delivery of programmes which improve London’s Routes and Places.  Before  joining TfL, David was Chief Executive of Go-Ahead’s London bus business.  Prior to this he held the positions of Managing Director and Operations Director for the Company. 

Steve Howell, Head of Transport, Oxfordshire County Council

Steve Howell is Deputy Director of Environment and Economy at Oxfordshire County Council with responsibility for leading a large service responsible for all aspects of Transport and Highways including Transport Policy and Planning, Highway Management and Implementation. He also has the role of Oxfordshire’s Traffic Manager and the lead on Flooding.  Steve joined Oxfordshire 5 1/2 years ago from a similar role in Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority. He has previously worked in a similar post on the Isle of Wight. Before that he has worked for local government in Merseyside and South Yorkshire. Just to round this off he has also had a spell working as a consultant in the private sector in Manchester.

Claire Haigh, Campaign Director, Greener Journeys

Claire became involved in the Greener Journeys initiative as the result of her work on previous national industry projects. Her most relevant previous role was as Project Director of Journey Solutions, where she saw the creation, implementation and roll-out of PLUSBUS - the national integrated bus/rail ticket. Before that she worked as Project Manager on Traveline.

Andrew Meaney, Managing Consultant, Oxera

Andrew specialises in the economics of transport, leading Oxera’s work in the sector. Andrew is currently advising one of Oxera’s two clients at the Competition Commission’s bus market inquiry, and co-wrote a report in 2009 for the Local Government Association on the value for money of public-sector support for bus services. Andrew also advises transport companies and governments on the implications of European legislation, including the rail access charging Directives, and the PSO Regulation 1370/2007, which ensures subsidy for public transport services is compatible with state aid legislation.