14.01.16
Alex Hynes to continue as Northern Rail boss under Arriva
The current managing director of Northern Rail, Alex Hynes, will remain in his role once the new franchise begins on 1 April, Arriva has announced.
Hynes has led the operator since August 2013 after holding a variety of senior roles across the rail industry, including as commercial director at GoAhead’s London Midland franchise and managing director at its executive committee.
From April, when the franchise moves from the joint venture between Serco and Abellio to Arriva’s control, he will continue leading the business and its 5,500 employees.
Chris Burchell, managing director of Arriva’s UK trains division, said: “Alex has led Northern for almost three years and has introduced a wide programme of improvements.
“He is respected by local authorities and partners because he understands the huge importance of the Northern network to towns, cities and local communities. He brings continuity and is the ideal person to lead Northern into its next exciting chapter which will see the biggest transformation of services in a generation.”
Commending the multi-million pound investment Arriva has pledged to make across its nine-year franchise contract, Hynes added: “Arriva brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Northern through its successes here in the UK and across mainland Europe.
“To be part of that, and the plans to vastly improve services, capacity and stations for customers, is hugely exciting for me.”
Arriva – which already runs the CrossCountry, Chiltern Railways and Arriva Trains Wales franchises, the London Overground concession (with MTR) and open access operator Grand Central – reportedly made a pitch “well beyond” what the transport secretary had in mind for the new franchise in the government’s invitation to tender.
It ran the old Northern franchise until 2004 and will now return to the job until 2025, with an option for a one-year extension.
Hynes recently took part in the panel discussion at RTM’s TransCityRail North event in November last year alongside other rail leaders from major companies – including HS2 Ltd, the National Infrastructure Commission, Hitachi, Network Rail, Atkins and Transport for Greater Manchester.
As well as addressing the paused and rescoped TransPennine electrification, Hynes made the case for four-tracking the route as the only way it could be improved in the long term.
(Top image: c. Joel Goodman, PA Images)