Ruth Cadbury MP to chair Transport Select Committee

Published: 12/09/2024

The results of elections for all the House of Commons Select Committees have been announced, with Ruth Cadbury, MP for Brentford and Isleworth, elected as chair of the Transport committee.

In all, four MPs stood in the election for the Transport Committee chair:  Catherine Atkinson (Derby North), Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East) and Grahame Morris (Easington).

The new Chair was elected from the Labour party under the allocation of committee chairs to political parties, which was agreed by the House on 30 July 2024.

Ruth Cadbury first won her seat for Labour in 2015, and has been on the Transport Committee since October 2018.

“It is a great honour to be elected by MPs from across the House of Commons as the new chair of the Transport Committee," she says.

“Transport touches every aspect of our lives, from getting to work to seeing our loved ones and ensuring we can buy the goods we need. Furthermore the local transport challenges vary considerably across the country.  

“Working cross-party, this committee will continue to champion the sector and consumers across the country. I can’t wait to start working with my new colleagues on holding the government and service providers to account.”

Labour will chair 18 of the 26 select committees (due to the make-up of Parliament) following the general election in July.

The Transport Committee is nominated by the House of Commons to scrutinise the Department for Transport. Its formal remit is to hold Ministers and Departments to account, and to investigate matters of public concern where there is a need for accountability to the public through Parliament.

Following the dissolution of Parliament on 30 May 2024, all select committees ceased to exist. The initial step is the election by MPs of chairs, which will now be followed by nominations to choose the committees' members.

Since 2010, most committee chairs have been elected by the whole House, by a system of alternative vote and by secret ballot. 

Declaring no relevant interests, Ruth Cadbury's nomination statement, prior to the election, gives an indication of her views. It is reproduced in full below:

Supporting statement:

Having served for five years on the Transport Select Committee, I am seeking election to be the Chair.

Transport affects all our constituents: rail passengers experiencing delays and overcrowding, the costs of running a car, endless traffic delays, communities left isolated with no bus services and a lack of safe cycling and walking infrastructure and so much more. It is important that we have a strong voice who will put these important issues high up the agenda in Westminster.

I believe my Parliamentary and previous local government experience, has given me the appropriate grounding to Chair this significant committee.  I bring an understanding of the challenges of the different local and national structures responsible for transport across the UK, along with strong relationships with stakeholders across the varied transport sectors.

Vision

The UK badly needs its transport to be efficient, affordable, safe, accessible, integrated and

above all sustainable. An effective enquiring Transport Committee can play an important role in making this happen.

If elected as Chair I will ensure that working collaboratively, the Committee provides constructive scrutiny of the Government’s ambitious programme for transport, along with its net zero and growth ambitions. Decision makers in Government, transport companies and public bodies will be held to account, and opportunities will be taken to explore examples of best-practice.

Experience: 

• MP for 9 years with extensive and relevant select committee and frontbench membership; Transport, Justice and WAC Select Committees and shadow front bench Minister for Housing, and Planning
• 5 years as an active member of Transport Committee, working on inquiries that included: National Bus Strategy, EVs, Inclusive Transport, HGV and Port facilities, Fire & Re-hire, Active Travel, Rail Service Levels and Pavement Parking
• Long-standing Co-Chair or Chair of 4 Transport APPGs:

Transport Safety: Encouraging Government to adopt the European Vehicle Safety regulations and a UK Road Safety Strategic Framework. Work also covered E-Scooters and Pavement Parking.

Cycling & Walking:? In 8 years as Co-Chair we covered a range of topics that led to many Parliamentary and Government interventions, including an in-depth inquiry into road justice for victims of collisions, some of its recommendations were adopted by Government

Women in Transport: Following an HS2 site visit, we worked with the Women in Transport group to promote taking inclusive practices from HR departments and embedding them in Health & Safety on construction sites.

Airport Communities: With other MPs with constituencies profoundly affected by aviation activity, we met with experts and Ministers on issues such as aircraft noise, surface access for passengers and staff, and the forthcoming Airspace Modernisation programme.