Alison Munro re-appointed as Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd
Alison Munro re-appointed as Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd, the independent company set up to deliver a high speed rail network.
Alison Munro has been re-appointed as the Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd, the independent company set up by the government to deliver a high speed rail network between London and the north of England.
Alison has been at the head of HS2 Ltd since it was established in 2009. Under her leadership HS2 Ltd has planned, structured and managed a complex mixture of tasks to develop high speed rail proposals. Following the Transport Secretary’s decision in January to proceed with the project after an extensive consultation process, Alison has led the organisation in preparations to make the high speed rail network a reality.
She will now lead HS2 Ltd through the Hybrid Bill process to Royal Assent for the line from London to the West Midlands, while also leading work to decide the routes linking to Manchester, Leeds and direct to Heathrow.
As Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd, Alison’s primary responsibilities will be:
- to lead HS2 Ltd through the laying of a Hybrid Bill for Phase 1 of HS2 (the line from London to the West Midlands including a link to HS1), ensuring the best outcome for the communities along the line of route and maximising value for money for UK PLC
- To prepare for consultation on the preferred line of route for Phase 2 (lines onward to Manchester, Leeds and a direct connection to Heathrow)
Alison is a Senior Civil Servant, and will receive a salary in the range £120,000 to £124,999. She will be based in HS2 Ltd’s offices in central London.
Transport Secretary Justine Greening said:
Alison has done an excellent job as Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd during the advisory and consultation phases of this project so I am delighted she has agreed to continue in that role. HS2 will transform rail travel for our country, providing much needed capacity, reducing journey times and driving regeneration in the same way the motorway network revolutionised road travel. Alison’s leadership will be invaluable during the next crucial phases of this project including preparation of the Hybrid Bill on Phase 1, and the development of route proposals for Phase 2 of the network.
HS2 Ltd Chief Executive Alison Munro said:
I am very happy to have been asked to continue in my role as Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd, to lead the delivery of a Hybrid Bill for the London to West Midlands line, and the specification of routes to Manchester and Leeds. Having led the work to develop the route for Phase 1, including the largest consultation ever undertaken for a transport project, I look forward to taking the project on to the next stage, working with our many stakeholders to deliver the best outcome for this transformative project.
Notes to editors
The Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd is an appointment made by the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Transport. While this appointment does not fall within the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the process was monitored by the Independent Public Appointments Assessor assigned to assess the Public Appointments to the Chair and Non-Executive Director roles, to ensure that the whole process was undertaken in an open and transparent manner. All appointments are made on merit, and political activity plays no part in the selection process.
HS2 Ltd is an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB). It was also established as a Companies Act company, limited by guarantee, on 14 January 2009. It has a sole member, the Secretary of State for Transport, for whom it is remitted to undertake work.
HS2 Ltd is funded from the public purse by grants-in-aid. The company’s objective was to ‘advise the Secretary of State for Transport on the development of proposals for a new railway line from London to the West Midlands and potentially beyond’.
Following a decision by the Secretary of State for Transport to proceed with a London to West Midlands route, the remit has extended to:
- undertake further work and provide advice to enable the department to deposit a hybrid Bill with Parliament in October 2013, in order to gain Royal Assent by May 2015, in respect of the London to West Midlands line
- the delivery of a safe and affordable route design; assessment of the environmental impacts of this design and production of the Environmental Statement; and, the consultation with all relevant bodies on aspects of the proposals
- developing routes from the West Midlands to Leeds, with a connection to the East Coast Main Line, and to Manchester, with a connection to the West Coast Main Line, and a spur to Heathrow, to include appropriate engineering designs and sustainability appraisal and the implications for the whole Y network
- prepare materials and provide advice to develop and inform future consultations
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