Tom leads parking services at a London borough and brings a wealth of experience across enforcement, licensing, and service improvement. With a career spanning frontline investigative roles to local government leadership, Tom is passionate about ensuring transport policy delivers real-world impact.
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Transport and highways shape people’s independence in ways that are often invisible to those who don’t rely on them. Growing up with a disabled mum and brother, I saw how small barriers — poorly designed streets, inaccessible parking, unclear rules — could turn everyday tasks into exhausting challenges. That experience shaped how I see the world and still influences my work today.
My path into the sector wasn’t a straight line. I started in frontline enforcement and investigative roles, then moved into local government leadership. Over the years, I’ve worked across parking, highways enforcement, fraud, licensing, and service improvement. Today, I lead parking services at a London borough and serve as a trustee of Disabled Motoring UK, where I work to improve accessibility, tackle misuse, and strengthen the Blue Badge scheme nationally. That work is personal as well as professional.
For anyone considering a career in transport or highways, my advice is simple: spend time listening to the people who are most affected by your decisions. If you design for those who face the biggest barriers, you design better systems for everyone.
Photo: Tom Gallagher MCIHT
Good transport policy isn’t abstract — it determines whether someone can get to work, attend an appointment, or feel confident leaving their home. Decisions made in offices and committee rooms have a direct impact on people’s lives, and that’s what drives me.
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