Lilian Greenwood - Labour MP for Nottingham South - is the new chairwoman of the Transport Committee, having won a secret ballot of MPs under the Alternative Vote system on 12 July.
Greenwood, nominated by former chairwoman Louise Ellman, will formally take up position when the remaining members of the committee have been named by the House of Commons.
In her statement to members ahead of ballot Greenwood said: “I have been heavily involved in transport policy for the last seven years. I know how to get answers out of ministers, operators and nationalised delivery bodies.
"The DfT needs effective and fair-handed scrutiny, and I believe I have the aptitude and experience to provide it.
“This will be particularly important in the months and years ahead. Decisions on Heathrow, HS3 and Crossrail 2 are now seriously overdue. Cross-border issues in the devolved nations remain unresolved.
"There are also serious doubts over the ability of Highways England and Network Rail to deliver road and rail investment schemes, and there is already pressure from the Treasury to rein back on existing commitments."
Greenwood added that promises had been made that affect almost all constituencies, and thousands of jobs (including in the supply chain) are in the balance. "As chairwoman I would be a strong voice for rural and urban transport improvements, as well as a critic of bad schemes.
“New technology, including autonomous vehicles, drones and mobile apps used by companies like Uber, are changing the nature of transport. The committee will have an important role in ensuring that the government's policies keep pace,” she said.
Greenwood Transport experience:
- 2010 Transport Committee member
- 2011 – 2013 Shadow Local transport minister
- 2013 – 2015 Shadow rail minister
- 2015 – 2016 Shadow transport secretary
- 2016 – 2017 Bus services bill committee member
Member of the Air Safety Group; Officer of the newly-formed Women in Transport APPG; Vice chairwoman of the Light Rail APPG; Treasurer of the Infrastructure APPG.
Image: PA News.
