TOM CLIFT STEPS DOWN AT GRAND CENTRAL
Published at 18:00 on Friday 3rd February 2012
Tags: Grand Central, Tom Clift, Arriva, Arriva plc, Richard McClean
One of Grand Central's Class 180 DMUs passes Stow Park on the Doncaster to Lincoln line, during recent diversions, en route to London King's Cross. Richard Tuplin
Tom Clift who has steered open-access operator Grand Central is to step down later this month as Managing Director of Grand Central.
The move was announced in a personal letter from Mr Clift to supporters of the company, and stated that " Following our acquisition by Arriva in November we have been undertaking a review of the business. Building on the support that our membership of a larger Group can provide we have decided to make some changes to the leadership arrangements for with Richard McClean becoming Managing Director in addition to his current role as Managing Director of the group’s Tyne and Wear Metro operation. "
Mr McClean has more than 30 years’ rail industry experience, including 10 years in inter-city operations on the East Coast Main Line. Since April 2010 he has led the Tyne and Wear Metro concession, operated on behalf of Nexus.
Sean English, currently Grand Central’s Operations Director and who has been with Grand Central from its launch, will take on the new role of General Manager, responsible for the day-to-day delivery of all Grand Central services and to further improve Grand Central’s operations.
In his letter, Mr Clift said 'To say that the past four and a half years at GC have been challenging is an understatement! Working for a small Open Access Operator is very different from working in a larger Train Operating Company. But what makes us different is the quality of our people, all of whom are highly competent, self-motivated, flexible and show outstanding customer/community focus.'
