UK: Lord McLoughlin was appointed as Chair of Transport for the North at its board meeting on January 25.
Patrick McLoughlin was the Member of Parliament for Derbyshire Dales in 1986-2019, and Secretary of State for Transport in 2012-16, becoming a life peer in 2020.
‘I have followed the work of TfN since the start — I was Transport Secretary when it was set up — and so I am delighted to be the new Chair of this passionate, dedicated and visionary organisation’, he said.
‘A key focus for the TfN board remains the case as to why its preferred approach to Northern Powerhouse Rail remains fundamental to securing the long-term economic future of the north. The government’s Integrated Rail Plan goes against the best interest of people in the north and fails to deliver the step-change in rail services that is the only sustainable, long-term solution.’
Commenting on the appointment, Justin Moss, Chair of Rail Industry Association North, said ‘Lord McLoughlin is a strong advocate of the railway supply chain, having worked with the industry as Transport Secretary and as a champion of the industry in parliament.’
