Transport for the North has suffered a blow with the announcement that its chief executive and figurehead David Brown is to leave the organisation this autumn.

 

This came before the prospective sub-national transport body published reports on road and rail priorities on Monday.

 

David Brown has led TfN since October 2015 and has been a prominent figure championing the need for investment in transport infrastructure to transform the region’s economy. He will join Arriva Rail North, which operates the Northern rail franchise, as managing director this September.

 

Commenting on David Brown’s forthcoming departure TfN chair John Cridland said: “David leaves Transport for North with our thanks and best wishes for the future. He has been instrumental in developing TfN’s vision of a thriving North of England where modern transport connections drive economic growth and support an excellent quality of life.

 

“He leaves a strong organisation ready to become the UK’s first statutory body with a clear direction to drive economic growth in the north.” TfN will shortly begin recruitment for a new chief executive.

 

Meanwhile the organisation has this week published a range of evidence documents as a precursor to its strategic transport plan. These include a new position statement, initial integrated rail report and an initial major roads report setting out priorities for investment along nine strategic development corridors.

 

For a more detailed run down of the region’s most pressing transport infrastructure priorities see the June issue of TP which lands on desks this week.

 

An initial draft of the TfN strategic transport plan is due in the autumn and will be adopted by the organisation when it hopes to become a statutory sub-national transport body at the end of this year.

 

♦ Two new Ministers have been appointed to the Department for Transport. Former Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Minister Jesse Norman and Lord Callanan will serve under Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, replacing the departing Andrew Jones and Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon.

 

(Photo: Transport for the North)