TfGM announces committee appointments

A total of 33 members have been appointed for the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee.

TfGMC is a joint committee of the new Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the ten district authorities of the area.

The committee will undertake much of the work previously undertaken by the Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority, known as GMITA for short, which was abolished on 1 April, and will advise the combined authority on transport policy.

Transport for Greater Manchester is the new name for the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive.

The members appointed to TfGMC represent the ten district authorities in Greater Manchester and include:

• Chairman – Cllr Keith Whitmore, Manchester City Council
• Vice chair and Chairman of the capital projects and policy sub-committee – Cllr Richard Knowles, Oldham Council
• Vice chairman and chairman of the bus and Transport for Greater Manchester services sub-committee – Cllr Brian Rigby, Trafford Council
• Vice chairman and chairman of the Metrolink and rail networks sub-committee – Cllr Doreen Dickinson, Tameside Council

Cllr Whitmore, at an inaugural meeting of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee held at the Museum of Science and Industry on Monday, said: "It has been an historic day; the new committee has met for the first time and members have agreed the key appointments."

The establishment of the new Combined Authority, TfGMC and TfGM represent new governance arrangements for transport.

The new Transport for Greater Manchester Committee will oversee public transport and will now also be responsible for overseeing the management and maintenance of traffic signals, and alongside districts and the Highways Agency, the management of road network strategy and promoting road safety.

The new governance arrangements will aim to secure improvements in the co-ordination of transport functions which will aim to provide a platform for the delivery of more consistent and efficient transport networks in Greater Manchester.

The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities said the Greater Manchester Combined Authority complements the recent announcement of the Greater Manchester local enterprise partnership and will ensure a coordinated approach is delivered in the ten local authorities that make up the Manchester city region.

AGMA will continue to act as the voice of the ten local authorities of Greater Manchester as part of the partnership with GMCA.

Further information about the Transport for Greater Manchester visit the TfGM website. To find out more about Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, visit the TfGMC website