News

Are Britain’s railways on the right track? Asks local public transport chief

(16 February 2005)

To get an insider’s view on Britain’s railways since their controversial privatisation in 1996/7, Durham Business School has invited Chris Moyes, chief executive of Newcastle-based Go-Ahead Group PLC to speak at its Annual ‘Entrepreneurship in Industry’ Seminar.

Chris, chairman of the Durham University Council has over 30 years experience working in the transport industry and eight years experience running the Thames Link and Southern railway’s as a franchisee.

During the seminar titled: ‘Entrepreneurship in Britain’s railways: is it on the right track? An insider’s view, Chris will discuss the state’s poor perception of the railways throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s in the lead up to their privatisation 8 years ago.

He will look at whether introducing entrepreneurship by franchising our railways is succeeding or failing and offer an insight into their future, followed by a question and answer session.

The event is the second Annual Entrepreneurship in Industry Seminar hosted by the Business School. Last year saw managing director of the low cost airline ‘bmibaby’, Tony Davis talk about the highs and lows of operating a budget airline in a highly competitive market place.

Professor Simon Parker, director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship at the Business School said: “The Seminar reflects the exciting times we are living in, where the ideas and activities of entrepreneurs are generating interest among researchers, practitioners and policymakers alike.

The Go-Ahead Group is one of the UK’s leading transport management companies and we have the opportunity to explore the organisation’s efforts to inject a new dynamism into Britain’s railway industry and ask whether it has benefitted from the more entrepreneurial culture that the private sector was supposed to provide.”

The Seminar which takes place on the 24th of February has been organised by Durham Business School’s Centre for Entrepreneurship. The Seminar is open to the public and free of charge. If you would like to book a place contact Denise Cutting on 0191 334 5511 or email denise.cutting@durham.ac.uk.

Ends Issued on behalf of Durham Business School by Bradley O’Mahoney Public Relations For further information contact: Amy Davison or Clare Maxwell Tel: 0191 281 88 33 Fax: 0191 281 49 54 Email: amydavison@bradleyomahoney.co.uk claremaxwell@bradleyomahoney.co.uk

Note to Editors: Biographical information: Chris Moyes, B.Eng., M.Sc., FCILT, FRSA, CCMI, was educated at Birkenhead School, the University of Liverpool (B.Eng., Civil Engineering, 1970) and the University of Salford (M.Sc, Transport Engineering, 1971). He held a variety of management posts with the National Bus Company and its subsidiaries between 1971 and 1987 in Operational Management, Marketing and Industrial Relations. He has been a Board Member of the Go-Ahead Group since its creation in 1986. He participated in a management buy-out from the state in 1987 and in the subsequent flotation in 1994. He was appointed Commercial Director in 1986, Deputy Chief Executive in 1999 and Chief Executive in 2004.

Chris has been Chairman of University Council, University of Durham since 2001, and a member of that Council since 1992. He is a Council member of the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) and President of CPT in 2003. CPT is the principal industry trade association for the bus, coach and light rail industries and represents the industry in its dealings with Government. He is Chairman of GoSkills, the Sector Skills Council for the passenger transport industry. GoSkills is active in skills development in the wider passenger transport industry. He is a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, and was member of the CIT UK Board/Council 1990-1995.

The Go-Ahead Group is among the UK’s leading transport service management companies, operating in bus, rail, aviation ground service and car parking sectors. The group employs over 19,000 staff and has an annual turnover in excess of £1.2 billion.