Transport for London (TfL) has announced that Claire Mann, the current managing director of South Western Railway (SWR), is to become TfL's chief operating officer.
The role will see Claire take the lead on the planning and delivery of the services on the Tube, Elizabeth Line, London Overground and the Docklands Light Railway.
Her new role comes as the capitals transport network recovers from the pandemic, which recently reported a return to pre-pandemic levels of ridership on the Underground. This will be alongside ensuring operations are planned effectively and maintain safety and reliability across the network.
This is Mann’s second role at TfL, after serving as director of bus operations between 2017 and 2021, before she took up her current role at South Western Rail. At SWR, she led a business with an annual turnover of £770m, which comprised of 5,500 colleagues which ran more than 1,500 train services a day from London's busiest railway station, Waterloo.
Mann also commandeered the business through the pandemic and into post-pandemic environment alongside steering SWR to becoming the first Train Operating Company to launch a roadmap to Net Zero by 2040. Alongside her work on operating SWR, she also oversaw a wide range of renewal projects, including the introduction of a £1bn fleet of new trains and a £26 million modernisation of the Island Line on the Isle of Wight.
Andy Lord, London’s transport commissioner said: “Claire is an outstanding transport professional with deep experience of improving customer service. At a time when customer numbers continue to rise and we work to support London's post-pandemic recovery and attract new customers, Claire's customer focus and wide-ranging public transport industry background will play a vital role in our work. We are delighted to have her return to TfL in this key leadership position.”
Her previous roles include director for DLR, operations and safety director at Arriva Trains Wales, general manager East at the former First Great Western (now GWR) and customer service director at London Overground.
Alongside her current role, she is also a non-executive director on the Railway Safety Standards Board and a board governor of the Chartered Institution of Railway Operators.
Speaking of her announcement, Mann said: “I'm delighted to be returning to TfL to lead its operations, which are key to the success of the London economy, at this important time. I am passionate about delivering an excellent customer experience across all of TfL's varied and vital services and helping TfL and London to prosper.
“I look forward to meeting and working with all of the colleagues who work so hard every day to provide Londoners and millions of visitors with the seamless and reliable services that London is renowned for around the world.
“I would like to thank the incredible team at South Western Railway for all their support over the last three years and am proud of all we have achieved together.”
Photo: iStock
