Experience

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  British rail

  Sept 1970 - Jun 1977

  Railway student, work study practitioner, traffic controller

  Training in railway operations, followed by two interesting and rewarding jobs.Granted leave of absence to attend University and returned to placements with various teams at York Headquarters. The fact that I hadn't taken up the suggestion (I didn't realise at the time that it was really an instruction} of my boss to apply for the Senior Management Training Scheme, followed by imminent reorganisation, meant more uncertainty, so I resigned to join the bus industry in 1977.

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  National bus company

  Jun 1977 - Jun 1983

  Various

  Operations in two NBC subsidiaries - experience from driving and conducting to inspector, working on the Market Analysis Project.

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  Western greyhound bus lines

  Jul 1983 - Oct 1985

  Operations superintendent, transvaal

  Overseeing operations and service planning in a private sector company. A fantastic opportunity and a wonderful learning experience in many respects. We were all sorry to come home again!

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  Trent buses

  Oct 1985 - Feb 1988

  Operations superintendent / district planning officer

  Overseeing operations in Derbyshire's Peak District; planning for the new network under deregulation; costing and submitting service registrations and tenders; scheduling and duty compilation. Working for Brian King and his team was an opportunity not to be missed and, if we had to come home from South Africa, this was the place to be.

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  York city and district travel / rider group / first group

  Mar 1988 - Dec 1996

  Commercial manager / operations director

  Service planning, scheduling, marketing and publicity, service registration, negotiating with trade unions, liaising with local authorities, schools and bus users, press and local radio; strategic planning, budgeting, staff recruitment, training, control and discipline, complaints handling and customer feedback; operations planning for the Leeds Supertram bid.

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  The institute of advanced motorists

  Jul 1992 - now

  Fellowship member

  I passed my Advanced Driving Test in a bus in 1992, as part of a charity fundraising challenge. I passed my Advanced car test in 2017 as part of the IAM Roadsmart Fellowship scheme, which encourages members to submit to a retest every three years,

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  Balfour beatty plc

  Feb 1997 - Oct 1997

  Operations advisor, tramrider consortium

  Planning for the Tramrider DBOM bid for the Nottingham Express Transit system, providing input for First Group, who would have been the operating partner if the bid had been sucessful (we came second). Based at First in Leeds and also working at Balfour Beatty's offices in Croydon.

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  York pullman limited

  Nov 1997 - Jan 2000

  Manager

  Manager of a bus and coach operator, successor to a company originally established in 1926. Responsible for planning, scheduling, service registration, marketing and publicity, staff recruitment, training, control and discipline, Left immediately prior to the sale of York Pullman to First, in order to set up my own company.

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  Top line travel of york ltd

  Jan 2000 - Jan 2009

  Managing director - joint owner with wife sue

  Company sold in 2008; Sue and I remained for a handover period before both retiring in 2009. We both now undertake voluntary work - but I am available (at a price) to advise anybody how to run a business profitably by treating staff and customers properly!

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  North yorkshire moors railway

  Apr 2010 - now

  I have been a member of the NYMR (the 119th to join, in fact) since it was formed in 1967, and am once again a volunteer signalman after a 27-year absence (pressure and location of work intervened!). I currently work a few shifts each month at New Bridge Signalbox, Pickering. I received a 20-year service certificate in 2016, having taken 47 years to qualify!

  • Volunteer signalman

    Apr 2010 - now

  • Volunteer

    Apr 2010 - now
• 

  City of york council

  May 2015 - May 2019

  Elected in May 2015 to serve the residents of the area where I live, in my home City. This involved a great deal of time and effort, and I believe that I made a difference. York had a joint Conservative/LibDem administration, and I was one of three Conservative councillors in this ward. Prior to March 2018, I was serving on the following committees:Audit and Governance; Planning; Learning and Culture Policy and Scrutiny; Communities and environment Policy and Scrutiny Committee, North Yorkshire Police and Crime panel; York Citizens' Theatre Trust (CoYC Observer) and the Management Board of Clifton Backies. The last is a nature reserve on part of the former RAF wartime airfield, and is in our ward. Ward work involves liaising with the two Parish Councils, assisting residents with various problems, assessing requests from community projects for Ward funding, and supporting local businesses and schools.I became Executive Member for Planning and Transport in March 2018 and continued in this role until the protest vote at the May 2019 election saw most Conservatives lose their seats.I maintained an active interest in politics and stood again for election in May 2023, without success - again mainly due to events at national level. However, with no support from the local party - not even any generic leaflets to deliver around my ward - I resigned from the Conservative Party and have no intention of joining any other. Show less

  • Executive Member for Planning and Transport

    Mar 2018 - May 2019

  • Member for Rawcliffe and Clifton Without Ward

    May 2015 - May 2019
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  Network rail

  May 2020 - Oct 2020

  Temporary (covid 19) signaller

  Part of Network Rail's Covid19 contingency team, working as a crossing keeper in the York, Selby and Harrogate areas. This team was recruited to cover for any surge in sickness absence due to the covid19 pandemic, and was disbanded once sufficient new staff were available to provide cover.

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  Reliance motor services ltd

  Dec 2021 - Jul 2024

  Part time bus driver

  There was a shortage of drivers after covid, so I renewed my PCV entitlement, undertook the full 35 hours Driver CPC training and then helped out with a local family bus company whose owners I've known for years. It suited us all and gave me something useful to do. It felt as if I've never been away! I've enjoyed working for one or two days a week but the loss of tendered work to bigger companies maneuvering for pole position when area franchising arrives (Labour Council, Labour area mayor and Labour government = watch this space), smaller local operators will have to fight to keep a place in the industry. THIS HAS BEEN MY LAST JOB - it's been great fun but I've surrendered my PCV licence and I'M NOT LOOKING FOR ANOTHER ONE. Show less