Stephen Fidler, deputy director in the Department for Transport’s strategic roads division, has been named as its new director of local transport, succeeding Graham Pendlebury, who retires at the end of May.
Mr Fidler’s current division has responsibility for overseeing delivery of the Highways England Road Investment Strategy; however he is well known for his work in local government, particularly as a key architect of the Bus Services Act.
In his previous roles in the local transport directorate he was head of local infrastructure division, before becoming head of the buses and taxis division.
Mr Pendlebury (pictured) said: ‘Stephen is an excellent choice, following a tough selection process competing against many other excellent candidates.’
John Lamb, president of the Local Government Technical Advisers Group, told Highways: ‘Stephen has served across all the key areas that have the greatest impact for local councils and the communities they represent. His diverse but detailed understanding of bus services, highways maintenance and infrastructure delivery makes him an ideal successor to Graham Pendlebury.
‘Moreover, Stephen’s recent role in major Highways England Infrastructure delivery – including RIS2 and projects such as the Lower Thames Crossing – provide a stark contrast with local highways funding and the calls in Transforming the Narrative for security of multi-year settlements and fresh approaches to tackle essential maintenance backlog.’
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