NEW RAIL DIRECTOR APPOINTED FOR DEVOLVED WESTERN ROUTE

Friday 8 Jul 2011

NEW RAIL DIRECTOR APPOINTED FOR DEVOLVED WESTERN ROUTE

Region & Route:: | Wales & Western: Western; | Wales & Western

Network Rail has appointed a new route managing director, Patrick Hallgate, to lead its devolved business unit on the Western route. Mr Hallgate, 37, brings with him 12 years of railway experience that includes steering major national signalling and electrification programmes across Britain.

Mr Hallgate will be responsible for the development and operation of nearly 1,000 miles of railway in Great Western, which covers London Paddington, Thames Valley and the entire South West of England.

This move forms part of the company’s drive to increase its responsiveness to customers at a local level by devolving more power, responsibility and accountability away from the centre and into new business units.

Mr Hallgate, who is currently the programme director (signalling and electrification), will start his role in October when the new route begins operations.

Robin Gisby, managing director, Network Operations, Network Rail said: “Network Rail has big plans to transform the railway on Great Western in the next decade and to succeed, the company needs to be more agile and responsive. Patrick’s experience in managing large-scale improvement schemes and as a former route director will help the company forge stronger ties with our customers that are vital to a robust, high-performing and progressive railway.”

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Hallgate said: "It is an exciting time ahead for the Western route and I am looking forward to the task ahead to lead the team to it success. The scale of investment over the next few years gives us a great opportunity to deliver a lasting legacy of improvements to passengers.”

Mr Hallgate, as the route managing director, will be responsible for:

• safety
• all customer service matters
• asset management and spend
• operations
• planning and delivering maintenance
• delivering some renewal and enhancement work

Notes to editors

• Mr Hallgate joined the railway industry in 1999 through the company’s graduate training scheme and has worked in operations, maintenance and project management since. He was the route director for Anglia between 2006 and 2009 before his current role as the programme director for national signalling and electrification schemes.

• Mr Hallgate graduated from University of Northumbria in 2005 with a BSc(Hons) in Psychology and he followed up with a MSc in Organisation Psychology from University of Bristol in 2008.

• Mr Hallgate is married with two children, enjoys cycling, swimming, rugby and travel.

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

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Please visit National Rail Enquiries

Journalists
Network Rail press office -Western route
MediaRelationsWestern@networkrail.co.uk

About Network Rail

We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.

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