Diverse group of transport professionals recognised in King’s Birthday Honours

Figures representing the wide range of talent working across the transport sector were recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours.

Jenny Hamilton, Lead Sponsor at Transport for London (TfL), received an MBE for her work master-planning some of the capital’s busiest and most complex Tube stations. She has led on the development of a number of landmark London Underground stations, including Bank, Elephant & Castle and Paddington.

Bridget Eickhoff and Vaibhav Puri of the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to the railways.

Eickhoff, who is RSSB’s Principal Infrastructure Engineer, was made an MBE for her services to railway engineering while Puri, RSSB’s Director of Sector Strategy and Transformation, received an OBE for his contribution to railway safety and standards.

Cllr Keith Glazier, Chair of Transport for the South East, was awarded an OBE for his dedication to public service and leadership in the transport sector. 

Two Network Rail employees and a non-executive director were among the railway professionals recognised in the Honours.

Steve Scrimshaw, who joined Network Rail as a non-executive director last year, has received a CBE for services to British manufacturing, transport and the green transition to net zero.

Senior media relations manager Donna Mitchell was awarded a BEM for services to safety for young people.

Also honoured was Mike Mitchell, field technical support engineer in Route Services, who has received a BEM for his contribution to society and his voluntary work supporting young people promoting careers in STEM and the railway. 

Former Go-Ahead chief executive Keith Ludeman, who is now chairman of London St Pancras Highspeed, has been awarded an OBE in recognition of his contribution to transport. He has also worked at Network Rail, ATOC and the LT Museum, as well as London Luton Airport and Bristol Water. 

Three members of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT UK) were recognised for their contributions to transport and road safety.

James Dawes, Managing Ddirector of Dawes Highway Safety, received an MBE for services to road safety.

Louise Cheeseman, founder and Chair of Women in Bus and Coach (WiBC), has been awarded an OBE for her services to the transport industry and diversity. 

Cheeseman, who has held senior roles at Hull Trains and Transport for London, launched WiBC in 2023 to support and retain women in the bus and coach profession. 

Former CILT UK President Will Whitehorn was also a recipient of an OBE, for services to the aerospace industry. 

Elizabeth Dean, a former executive director, corporate development and delivery at the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, was made an OBE for services to transport.

Professor Natasha Merat, who is chair of Human Factors of Transport Systems at the University of Leeds, won an OBE for services to future transport systems.

Richard Perry, Head of Northern Engagement at the DfT, was made an OBE for services to transport in the North of England, while Piers Le Marquand, Senior Lawyer at the department, was made an OBE for services to the legal profession.

Sandra Zamenzadeh, National Casework Manager at the DfT, was made an OBE for services to the National Transport Casework Service.

Tracy Westall, a Non-executive Director at DfT, won an OBE for services to the digital sector and diversity.

Stein Connelly, former head of transport resilience at Transport Scotland, received an OBE.

Jo Bamford, the owner of Wrightbus, was awarded a CBE. He rescued the Ballymena-based bus manufacturer from administration in 2019. 

Bamford has been recognised for “services to innovating and developing the clean hydrogen economy”. He is also founder of Ryze Hydrogen. 

Mohammad Sadique, Chairman and Owner of Electra Commercial Vehicles Ltd, was made an OBE for services to the automotive and transport industry.

Two National Highways employees received OBEs; Health, Safety and Wellbeing Director, Mel Clarke, and Chief Data Officer, Davin Crowley-Sweet.

James Haluch, managing director at the Breedon Group, was made an MBE for services to improving safety for highway workers, having led a campaign against work site incursions that engaged social media.  

Charlotte Charles, mother of motorcyclist Harry Dunn whose road death led to a Transatlantic diplomatic row, was made an MBE for her work as a road safety campaigner.

Simon Lusty, lately publications manager at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, was made an MBE for services to road safety.

Steve Scrimshaw, formerly CEO of Siemens Energy Ltd, was made a CBE for services to British manufacturing, transport and the transition to net zero.

William Bee, lately chair of the Local Travel Group, Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, was made an MBE for services to transport accessibility.

There were also MBEs for James Bowen-Dawes, founder and director, Dawes Highway Safety and Specialist Advisor for Corporate and Social Responsibility at the British Concrete Transport Association; John Cairns, founder of Western Dales Bus for services to public transport; Sharief Gaafar, Senior Solution Architect, Siemens Mobility Ltd for services to innovation in transport and to diversity and inclusion; Jennifer Hamilton-Woodthorpe, Lead Sponsor London Underground Major Projects at TfL, for services to Transport Planning and Accessibility.