New traffic commissioners appointed

Two new traffic commissioners have been appointed by the transport secretary Chris Grayling.

Tim Blackmore, OBE will be traffic commissioner for the North East – replacing Kevin Rooney, who took over the West of England brief in October.

Colonel Blackmore currently heads the British Forces Post Office, and was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Transport in 1992. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Transport & Logistics and the Chartered Management Institute.

Meanwhile, Simon Evans will be traffic commissioner for the North West, where he currently serves as a deputy under Beverley Bell, also the senior traffic commissioner, who is stepping down this Spring.

An independent member (chair) of the Parole Board for England & Wales, Mr Evans was previously a fee-paid judge on the Social Entitlement Chamber and a lay member (chair) of the Nursing & Midwifery Council’s Fitness to Practice Panel.

Several new deputy traffic commissioners have also been appointed – but there is no word yet on who will take over Beverley Bell’s role as senior traffic commissioner.