DfT announces new director general for rail services

Scotland’s Railway managing director Alex Hynes has been appointed as director general, rail services, joining the Department for Transport (DfT) on a two-year secondment in April.

DfT says Hynes will play a crucial role as the government drives forward with its plans to reform the railways. He has led Scotland’s Railway, overseeing Network Rail Scotland and ScotRail, since 2017. Prior to that role, following an extensive career in the industry, he served as Managing Director of Northern when it was in the private sector, delivering their best ever customer satisfaction scores and record levels of employee engagement.

Commenting on his appointment Hynes said: “Our railways play a vital role connecting people right across the country and I look forward to working closely with DfT colleagues to help industry deliver the services that passengers rightly expect, while laying the track for a simpler, more effective rail system.

“One of my primary objectives in my current role has been to deliver a better, safer and more reliable railway for our passengers and our staff across the country. I am proud that over the past five years Scotland’s Railway has become more efficient and improved the reliability of train services for our customers.

Andrew Haines, chief executive of Network Rail said; “Alex's wide-ranging career has been fantastic preparation for the opportunities this new role presents, at a time when Britain's Railways are transitioning to a new and better model. His impressive leadership of Scotland's Railway is the latest example of this and means he will be much missed. But of course, we wish him well in his new role and look forward to working closely with him.”

David Lowrie, ScotRail Chair and Scottish Rail Holdings Chief Executive added; “Scotland’s Railway’s loss is the UK Department for Transport’s gain. It has been a pleasure to work with Alex over the past few years. He has a strong track record of success in his seven years at the helm of ScotRail and Network Rail Scotland, leaving behind a railway that is the best performing large operator in Britain, with the fastest growing passenger numbers in Britain, and where nine out of ten passengers are satisfied with our service. That’s a record of which to be proud. 

“I am grateful to Alex for his leadership and support in making ScotRail’s transition to public ownership a success and laying strong foundations for the future. We wish him every success in his new role as he seeks to build on his work in Scotland to deliver a better and more integrated railway with passengers at the centre.”

As Hynes joins DfT, interim director general Anit Chandarana will return to Network Rail as planned following the conclusion of his secondment.

The DfT said the Rail Infrastructure and Services Group will bring together most of the existing Passenger Services directorate and Rail Infrastructure Group – "helping reflect wider plans to bring the oversight of track and train together under GBR, and coming as part of a wider reorganisation in DfT to ensure agility and focus on the challenges facing transport today".

It adds that a new Major Rail Projects Group will bring together the existing High Speed Rail Group and Northern Powerhouse Rail, while rail strategy, policy and reform will join with wider public transport work (including buses and devolution) in a new Public Transport and Local Group.