(30 Jul 2024, 8:13 pm)Adrian wrote Tobyn hasn't really had a promotion. Just a sideways step to the authority, rather than the executive. He's director of Transport and NECA now.

I agree on Metro. Although it was privatised for much of his tenure, I struggle with how that contract was allowed to run for it's duration. The performance was disastrous for much of it.

Gannon is a Cllr and Portfolio holder. He'll have a level of delegated authority through the sub committee, I'd have thought, but the work of a local authority is carried out by officers. Councillors are just the decision makers (which is worrying, in this case)

Yeah fair point on the side stepping to be fair.

I'm not sure I fully blame Arriva/DB for the mess with the Metro mind, but by god were the they the scape goat. Let's be honest it's not as if the thing has gone from a wreck to a world class reliable system since they lost the contract. The problems have been pretty much the same ever since, if anything, it's got even worse but obviously that's all Stadler's fault if you believe the Nexus communications.

Yeah that's what I thought he was, pretty much a yes man really. Didn't think he was actively planning stuff, I'm not sure who really works for NECA it's all pretty hidden other than Tobyn Hughes.

Mind speaking of Nexus, there's got to be serious questions whether it should really exist at all or whether there should be a transport body for all the 7 council areas, ultimately controlled by NECA, similar to Transport For Manchester. I'm really not sure how franchising is going to work otherwise.