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Andy Byford appointed next TfL Transport Commissioner

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Dstock7080

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Briton who ran New York subway returns to lead TfL amid cash crisis
A former Tube boss who ran the New York subway is returning to London to become the capital’s next transport commissioner.

Andy Byford was today revealed as the successor to Mike Brown as Transport for London commissioner, Mayor Sadiq Khan’s most senior transport official.

He will start at the end of next month as TfL battles the most serious crisis in its 20-year history as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.


Mr Byford, a Briton who resigned as president and chief executive of New York City Transit Authority in January, said: “I am delighted to be taking up the role of commissioner and to have been chosen to lead the organisation where I started my transport career over 30 years ago.


Andy Byford appointed London’s new Transport Commissioner
Appointment of former President & Chief Executive Officer of New York City Transit Authority confirmed following an international recruitment and selection process The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and the Board of Transport for London (TfL) today confirmed the appointment of Andy Byford as London's new Transport Commissioner, following an international recruitment and selection process.

Byford's most recent role was President and Chief executive Officer of New York City Transit Authority, where he was responsible for 50,000 staff and devised a $40bn five-year investment plan to renew the city's transport system.

He will join TfL on 29th June, with the current Commissioner, Mike Brown MVO, staying on until 10th July to hand over to Byford and aid his start in the role before he takes up a position overseeing the renovation of the historic Houses of Parliament.

Byford brings to TfL a track record of leadership and transformation within major urban transport authorities and has worked within a wide range of complex stakeholder and political environments in a transport career that has spanned over 30 years and three continents. As well as his recent leadership role in New York, his previous positions include:
  • Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission, Canada
  • Chief Operating Officer & Deputy CEO, Rail Corporation New South Wales, Australia
  • Director of Operations, Southern Railway
  • Director of Safety and Operations, South Eastern Trains Limited
  • Various roles at London Underground Limited, where he started as a graduate trainee in 1989 before working his way up to General Manager - Customer Service for the Bakerloo, Central and Victoria lines
 
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RailUK Forums

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Read about his time with the MTA. Seems a decent chap who’s big into staff engagement.

certainly got his work cut out over the next few years.
 

Chris125

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Doubt it will be any better, the damage is already in play at the head end of LUL.

I wouldn't underestimate him, no doubt similar remarks were made when he joined the TTC and MTA.
 

rebmcr

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I wouldn't underestimate him, no doubt similar remarks were made when he joined the TTC and MTA.

Indeed my interpretation is that he's been forced out of the MTA because he was en route to delivering drastic change.
 

Chris125

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Indeed my interpretation is that he's been forced out of the MTA because he was en route to delivering drastic change.

The Mayor essentially stripped away much of his job; there was some disagreements about the Mayor going behind his back but ultimately politicians want to get the credit when things go right, so having some random British transit guy get all the plaudits doomed their relationship early on.

It will be fascinating to see his approach in London.
 

156478

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essentially Andy was being undermined by The Governor of New York State and the job he signed up for changed dramatically- he thought he was going to run it all but half of it was taken off him and he takes no prisoners in his interview when he left.

In New York the Governor runs the MTA, the Mayor of New York City hates the Governor, the Mayor liked Andy Byford and the MTA is partway though a transformation that Andy laid the foundations and the motivation to build but won’t see to the end due to toxic politics between the three of them.
 

rebmcr

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essentially Andy was being undermined by The Governor of New York State and the job he signed up for changed dramatically- he thought he was going to run it all but half of it was taken off him and he takes no prisoners in his interview when he left.

In New York the Governor runs the MTA, the Mayor of New York City hates the Governor, the Mayor liked Andy Byford and the MTA is partway though a transformation that Andy laid the foundations and the motivation to build but won’t see to the end due to toxic politics between the three of them.

Yes but he either left because of the changes, OR the changes were made specifically to get rid of him.
 

Bald Rick

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The politics of NY public transport are off the scale compared to London. City, State(s) and Federal all arguing over who shouldn’t pay for what. In London it’s much more simple. TfL pay for everything.
 

Busaholic

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Can only hope it goes better than with Bob Kiley, whose opposition to the PPP programme foisted on TfL by Gordon Brown effectively stymied his appointment from the start.
 

Nym

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Why is my old boss, Mike Brown being replaced? Is he leaving on his own accord or was he pushed?
He finished ballsing up the stations operational grades and engineering throughout the company, so thought it time to cut and run before everyone realised how much of a state he's left it in as a result?
 
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