Transport & Infrastructure Lunch 2025

Andy Burnham was first elected as Mayor of Greater Manchester in May 2017, re-elected for a second term in May 2021 and a third term in May 2024.

Responsible for shaping the future of Greater Manchester, Andy’s priorities for his third term include continuing to build a London-style integrated transport system, ending the housing crisis by 2038, offering a new technical education pathway as an alternative to university and creating a new Live Well service, making Greater Manchester a great place to grow up, get on, and grow old.

As the Greater Manchester Combined Authority portfolio lead for Transport, Andy has pioneered the delivery of the ‘Bee Network’ – an integrated transport system for the city region – which has included reforming the bus network and bringing buses back under local public control. The Mayor has also invested in world-class cycling and walking infrastructure and as Chair of Rail North Committee, continues to work with Transport for the North to improve rail services across the city region and wider North.

Before being elected Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy was MP for Leigh from 2001. Andy has held Ministerial positions in government at the Home Office, Department of Health and the Treasury. In 2008 he became Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, before returning to Health as Secretary of State in 2009.

In opposition, Andy has served as Shadow Education Secretary, Shadow Health Secretary and Shadow Home Secretary.

Andy lives in Leigh, Greater Manchester, with his wife and three children.

Huw served in Government as the Rail and Regional Transport Minister between 2022 and 2024. Prior to taking up this position in the Department for Transport, Huw served as Chair of the House of Commons Transport Select Committee for almost three years having been a member of this scrutiny committee for 7 years in total. Huw was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 2015 and retired from politics at the 2024 General Election. Prior to becoming an MP, Huw spent 18 years as a financial services lawyer, seven year of which were spent managing the the legal team which unwound the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy.

The Liverpool Manchester Railway Partnership Board was formed by the Mayors of Liverpool and Manchester, and the local authorities along, and nearby, the line of the proposed route. The Partnership Board is chaired by Huw and is tasked with building the business case for the railway to ensure it delivers economic growth and social opportunity as well as transformational transportation.

Reporting to the Railway Board, the Partnership Board comprises senior leaders from across the region’s private sector and academia with the technical expertise to deliver not only the railway but the jobs, homes and skills along the line of route. Learning the lessons of HS2, the region stands ready to build the railway in partnership with Government by utilising new and forthcoming devolved powers to capture the value of the railway and the land surrounding it. The board aims to help ensure that the railway is built more efficiently to time and cost and with a stronger business case. Partnership Board members were appointed following an application process.

Mary has 23 years of dedicated service in the Liverpool City Region’s bus industry, developing expertise across HR, finance and operations. As the LCR point of contact she strives to ensure seamless service delivery and drives continuous improvement. In her role as Social Value Lead, she champions initiatives that deliver tangible benefits to local communities, from training partnerships to environmental programmes, and, with accredited qualifications in mental health awareness, fosters supportive, resilient teams.

Throughout her career, Mary has led projects that balance commercial objectives with social responsibility. Her commitment to innovation, inclusion and sustainability has delivered measurable improvements in customer experience, staff engagement and community impact, building a stronger, more connected transport system for everyone in the Liverpool City Region.

Ellen is a Strategy Consultant within Deloitte’s Regional Infrastructure and Real Estate Advisory business.. She specialises in Strategic Development and Transport Advisory, supporting a range of clients to unlock economic growth through infrastructure and place-based transformation. Ellen has previously worked closely with HM Government to support the delivery of nationally significant infrastructure schemes.