The Rail North Committee (RNC) has today announced the election of a new Chair, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, and majority group Vice Chair, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe Leader of Bradford Council. The Rail North Committee advises the Transport for the North Board on rail services and infrastructure improvements and all matters relating to rail franchise and contract management in the Rail North area.
As Chair, Andy Burnham will oversee the strategic direction of the Committee, with the support of Vice Chairs from the majority and minority groups on the board. The minority group Chair has not been decided yet.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “It is a great honour to be asked by Mayors and Leaders from both sides of the Pennines to become the new Chair of the Rail North Committee at a crucial time for our railways.
“With both of our main operators under public control, there is a real opportunity to reshape the North’s railways and give long-suffering passengers here a more reliable service. That means holding the operators to account and making the case for the infrastructure the North desperately needs.”
The Mayor continued: “As Chair, I will not compromise on the North’s call for a railway that is as least as good as the service in other parts of the country, but I will work constructively with the rail industry and with the Government to achieve it.
“Finally, I wish to thank my predecessor Councillor Liam Robinson for his excellent leadership of the Committee during some tough years for railways in the North and laying the foundations for change.”
Transport for the North is England’s first sub-national transport body and was formed to transform the transport system across the North of England, providing the infrastructure needed to drive economic growth. Find out more about Transport for the North here.