Midlands Connect has announced that it has appointed a new senior director, as it looks to strengthen strategic leadership within the organisation.
Mike Bull will come in as Programme Director, bringing with him a wealth of experience in a number of national transport organisations. This experience includes time spent across both road and rail with Highways England, the Highways Agency, and the British Transport Police.
Previous projects that Bull has worked on include the development and delivery of smart motorways across the North West, researching the needs of future highways networks, and developing the Road investment Strategy Performance Specification. The latter of the three worked to reflect road user experience.
Specialising in analysis and insight to drive investment, Bull’s 19 years of experience have seen him at the forefront of projects that deliver improvements to transport infrastructure and services, with this now being applied to the range of projects in the pipeline for investment across the Midlands region.
Speaking about his appointment, Bull said:
"I care passionately about the delivery of improved transport infrastructure which supports people’s wellbeing and productivity, and this is an exciting time to be joining the Midlands Connect team.
"There are a number of fundamental transitions taking place across the transport sector in terms of new technologies, climate resilience and driving greater accessibility and efficiency.
"Transport, one way or another, impacts the lives of everyone in the UK every day, and to support the continued growth and success of the Midlands we need effective transport and freight networks that are cost-efficient, reliable, resilient, and environmentally sustainable."
As Programme Director at Midlands Connect, Bull will be instrumental in moving forward with a wide range of programmes that will focus on innovation and new technologies – which include alternative fuels and electric vehicle charging. These will be accompanied by other flagship projects and ‘ground-breaking’ research that will support further economic, social, and environmental benefits.
Midlands Connect Chief Executive, Maria Machancoses, also spoke about the decision, saying:
"We are at a true point of inflection in terms of strategic transport planning. Our programme focuses on integrating transport and driving economic growth with a long-term vision and the plans are moving at pace.
"There is significant momentum regionally and nationally, with transport issues and project like Midlands Rail Hub increasingly in the spotlight. I'm pleased to welcome ambitious programme."
Image credit: Midlands Connect and iStock
