Network Rail misplaces new chief exec?

Exciting news from Transport Times Events!

TTE is led by the well connected transport guru Professor David Begg, a man with his fingers firmly on the industry's pulse !

So an event in January asking "Is the North missing out on Transport?" should be packed to the rafters with heavy weights.

According to a TTE email and their website the following are 'Confirmed Speakers'

• Rt Hon Philip Hammond, Secretary of State for Transport
• Cllr Richard Leese, Leader, Manchester City Council
• Richard Eccles, Chief Executive, Network Rail
• Julie Mills, Director, Greengauge 21
• Adam Marshall, Director of Policy, British Chamber of Commerce
• Prof Michael Parkinson, Director, European Institute of Urban Affairs, Liverpool John Moores University
• Alexandra Jones, Chief Executive, Centre for Cities

Let Eye be the first to congratulate Richard Eccles on his promotion.

Presumably David Higgins has been told?

Bonus ball

Telegrammed by our man at 222 Marylebone Road
According to the Daily Telegraph, the Rugby Football Union has agreed a deal that should ease the rail chaos at Twickenham during the Six Nations Championship.

Network Rail has now pledged to suspend disruptive work when England are playing at home in the Six Nations.

That would never have happened if Network Rail had not attracted the best international management talent with its modest bonus system.