Chairman's Blog

You may have read this elsewhere since it became public yesterday afternoon, but just in case I’ve added it to the Blog.

Here’s the words from a press release ….

“Northumbrian Water Group has hired one of the rail industry’s leading lights as its new chief executive.

Heidi Mottram, managing director of Northern Rail, will join the water company, which serves 4.4 million people in the North East of England and Essex, in March, replacing John Cuthbert, who signalled last summer that he planned to retire.

Ms Mottram, a former British Rail graduate trainee, joins the company just before it begins a new five-yearly price regime.

Ms Mottram joined Northern Rail in 2005, after the rail franchise was created from parts of two existing franchises (large parts of what was First North Western and Arriva Trains Northern – ed). Northern Rail is a joint-venture company run by Ned Railways, the Dutch railway, and Serco, the services business. She has won a reputation for challenging orthodoxies in the rail industry and introducing new ideas. This year she was named Rail Business Manager of the Year for being an “inspirational leader”.

Ms Mottram has also worked closely with the local community and increased the rail group’s focus on customer services. While she has been running the railway, passenger numbers have risen by 31 per cent.”

Our view is that Heidi has led an excellent team into achieving far more than expected under difficult circumstances. After all, the Department for Transport (DfT) let the franchise for 7 years based on what they termed “steady state”. That’s political speak for no changes, no growth and everything to be 7 years older after 7 years.

We wish Heidi the very best in her future rôle. She will be a hard act to follow!