The not-for-profit industry body, Women in Transport has today (8 June 2023) announced the continued support of Parliamentarians from across the political spectrum in addressing the under-representation of women in the transport industry and being the voice of women using the transport network.
Pictured (from left to right): Sonya Byers (CEO of Women in Transport), Lord Berkeley, Ruth Cadbury MP, Jo Field (President of Women in Transport & Secretariat for the APPG), Lord Moylan, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP, Navendu Mishra MP
For the seventh year running, MPs and Peers have pledged their ongoing support to address the under-representation of women in the transport workforce. Cross-party support was confirmed at the Annual General Meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Women in Transport held in Parliament on 8th June.
In the meeting, Ruth Cadbury MP (Labour) was re-elected as Chair of the APPG and Officers agreed a programme of parliamentary events to run throughout the year to support women working in transport.
Commenting, Ruth Cadbury MP, Chair of the APPG for Women in Transport, said: “I‘m pleased to be re-elected as Chair of the APPG for Women in Transport and to re-affirm cross-party commitment to addressing the gender imbalance prevalent in the transport industry workforce.
“Our cross-party group recognises the urgent need to build a more diverse and inclusive transport sector to ensure the workforce that designs, constructs, and operates the transport network is representative of the customers who use it.
“We will continue to address the under-representation of women in the sector and work to improve safety for women across all modes of transport.
“We now look to the autumn programme where we will showcase industry best practice, focusing on the link between Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and improved health and safety outcomes.”
Jo Field, President of Women in Transport and Secretariat to the APPG for Women in Transport, said:
“It’s fantastic to see cross-party support for Women in Transport continue year after year and we welcome this renewed show of confidence for a more inclusive transport workforce and network.
“Women in Transport members have told us that safety, both as workers and customers, and challenging gender and cultural barriers to leadership are important.”
We look forward to working with the APPG officers and members to address these issues and will keep driving forward change in the transport sector, ensuring women are a central part of the conversation.”
The following Parliamentarians were elected as officers and members of the APPG for Women in Transport:
· Chair: Ruth Cadbury MP, Labour
· Vice-Chair: Baroness Jenny Randerson, Liberal Democrats
· Officers: Baroness Margaret Prosser, Labour; Lilian Greenwood MP, Labour; Sir Peter Bottomley MP, Conservative; Navendu Mishra MP, Labour; Marsha de Cordova MP, Labour
· Members: Rupa Huq MP, Labour; Rachael Maskell MP, Labour; Lord Moylan, Conservative; Gavin Newlands MP, SNP; Tan Dhesi MP, Labour; Drew Hendry MP, SNP; Lord Faulkner of Worcester, Labour; Dame Baroness Grey-Thompson, Crossbench, Lord Berkeley, Labour; Olivia Blake MP, Labour; Lord Peter Hendy of Richmond Hill, Crossbench