One of the key figures behind the development of Manchester’s tram network and the improvement of bus services in the North West has been appointed to the West Midlands top transport job.
Geoff Inskip, currently Deputy Director General of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, has been appointed to the new post of chief executive at Centro-PTA.
As boss of the regional body he will head up a £200 million per year programme to improve public transport and tackle congestion – including expansion of the Midland Metro and the development of Network West Midlands to provide better coordinated bus, rail and tram information.
“Geoff describes himself as a ‘passenger champion’ and that’s exactly the sort of person we want – who can provide a strategic lead at a critical time for transport in the West Midlands, but never forget that the interests of passengers must always come top of our agenda,” says Centro-PTA chairman Cllr Gary Clarke.
“This is a challenging time for our city region with the increasing cost of congestion, the possibility of some innovative solutions on the horizon and the ever greater need for an integrated system of road and track just to keep our people and economy on the move,” adds Cllr Clarke.
The West Midlands has both the highest levels of road congestion and the busiest public transport network outside London. Already in Birmingham’s rush hour more commuters travel by bus, train and Midland Metro than use the car, but politicians want much more to be done. They say better public transport for the three cities and four metropolitan boroughs is key to supporting regional economic growth, tackling inequality and caring for the environment.
“I am taking on one of the biggest jobs in public transport and I am relishing the challenge,” comments Geoff Inskip. “The West Midlands has ambitious plans in place and it will be my task to deliver these at the head of an organisation that will champion the interests of regional passengers and businesses.”
The job was created by the ‘merger’ of the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority with its executive arm Centro. It combines the post of Centro Director General Rob Donald, who retired earlier this year, with some of the PTA ‘clerk’ duties that were carried out by the chief executive of Coventry City Council.
The new appointment will need to be approved by Centro-PTA councillors at their Authority meeting on Monday (31 July).
Fifty-two year old Geoff Inskip moves from Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive where he is Deputy Director General and Director of Finance, as well as acting Director General in recent months. Prior to that he ran his own company and worked in the private sector as a chartered accountant. He is a fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants and Institute of Directors.
At Manchester he was Project Director for the city’s hugely successful Metrolink tram system, he has developed the region’s Integrated Transport Strategy and has been leading the current Transport Innovation Fund bid. Among his recent successes, he has agreed punctuality improvement plans with bus operators in the North West and recently gave evidence on the subject to the all-Party Commons Transport Select Committee.
“Geoff has worked for GMPTE for 14 years and during that time he has been involved in many projects and his record of achievement has been excellent,” says the Greater Manchester authority chairman Cllr Roger Jones. “He has been Acting Director General for the last eight months and I feel he has made a huge contribution culminating in the recent Government announcement on the expansion of Metrolink and our recent award of PTA of the Year.”
