Cllr Kim Groves appointed Transport Committee Chair

A new Chair has been appointed to the West Yorkshire Combined Authoritys Transport Committee.

Cllr Kim Groves succeeds Cllr Keith Wakefield who has chaired the committee since 2015 and is taking on a new skills and training role for Leeds City Council.

Members of the Combined Authority agreed the appointment at its Annual Meeting.

Cllr Groves is a deputy executive member on Leeds City Council and has represented the Middleton Park ward since 2010.

Cllr Groves said:

This is a tremendously exciting time to take on this role as investment via the West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund makes a real difference to the quality of life enjoyed by people in this region.

As a ward councillor I have seen the role transport plays in connecting communities to jobs, education and other opportunities and I am looking forward to working with my fellow Transport Committee members to do more of this vital work.

Cllr Wakefield said:

Chairing the Transport Committee has been a great privilege and I will continue to press the case for improved transport links which bring opportunities to access jobs, education and services for all.

I wish Cllr Groves and the Committee well as they take forward its important agenda.

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council and Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, said:

The Transport Committee is driving significant improvements in our transport system, including the opening of three new rail stations since 2015, and encouraging people to change the way they travel.

I look forward to working with Cllr Groves as we continue to press the case for investment which delivers benefits for all our communities, including Northern Powerhouse Rail with a stop serving Bradford.

Cllr Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council and member of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, said:

Cllr Groves will be a strong voice for the travelling public as Chair of the Transport Committee in its critical work investing in our network and holding operators to account.

The recent disruption to rail services underlines how important it is that democratic voices speaking up for the interests of passengers are heard.