RIA appoints new chairman

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) has announced Noel Travers as its new chairman. Travers will join the RIA board on 3 June, replacing David Tonkin, who is stepping down after seven years in the post.

Travers is the current managing director of rail engineering company XRail as well as an RIA member and has extensive experience and deep knowledge of the rail industry. Travers served on the board of RIA from 2018 to 2021 and as chairman of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Railway Division between 2022 and 2023. It is expected that Travers will split his time between his commitments with Xrail and his role at RIA. He is also expected to chair his first board meeting in June.

Travers joined the railway with British Rail in 1988 and trained for two years for a mechanical engineering degree from Loughborough University. He has since had management roles at Bombardier, Unipart Rail and Chiltern Railways.

Commenting on his appointment RIA chairman-elect Noel Travers said: “It is a great honour and privilege to become Chairman of the UK’s oldest and most distinguished railway trade association, especially as it approaches its 150 Year Anniversary in 2025.

“Both the start of a new Control Period, CP7, and a new post-election Government, whatever its colours, this year are real opportunities to restate the hugely important role the UK rail supply sector plays in creating jobs and GVA across the national economy, as well as supporting innovation and skills in rail. I look forward to working with Chief Executive Darren Caplan, and the full RIA team, to play my part in helping to take RIA to the next level for its members and to build a bigger and better railway industry at this pivotal moment in the history of UK rail.”

Railway Industry Association (RIA) chief executive Darren Caplan added: “I am delighted on behalf of the RIA Board, members, and team, to welcome Noel to RIA as our incoming Chairman. Noel has decades of expertise and insight from across the rail supply chain and will bring great perspective and insight to our Board deliberations and strategic direction going forward.

“I also wish to place on record our immense thanks to outgoing Chairman David Tonkin who has provided outstanding leadership and support to the Board, the RIA team and myself during his tenure. We wish him well as he retires from rail and pursues other interests.”