David Cutts appointed as Managing Director of Transport UK London Bus as new leadership team announced

October 18 2024

Transport UK London Bus, part of the Transport UK group, is delighted to announce the appointment of David Cutts as its new Managing Director.

Cutts will join the business on 18 October 2024 and brings a wealth of industry experience to Transport UK London Bus. With over 37 years in the bus industry, David has excellent operational and leadership experience. He began his career in bus as a management trainee for London buses in 1989, gaining valuable experience as a driver and inspector before moving into management roles across London at Go Ahead, focusing on transforming operations and building high-performing teams.

A visionary within the industry, David was the driving force behind the mobilisation of Go-North West. As Managing Director at Go-Ahead Singapore, he was responsible for the first electric buses to operate in Singapore before being appointed Managing Director of Go-Ahead London.

Transport UK London Bus operates over 60 routes on behalf of Transport for London (TfL), employing over 3000 people. The business has grown significantly over the last five years, winning and retaining routes across London, and is a leader in EV. Over 30% of the TUK London Bus fleet is fully EV, and the business has invested in innovative infrastructure with all six of its London depots fully energised. The Transport UK Group Year in Review, published on 02 September, captures that the group is on track to significantly reduce its carbon footprint by completing Britain’s most ambitious fleet renewal by the end of 2025. https://www.transport-uk.com/reports

David will direct the leadership team at Transport UK London Bus following the departure of MD Jon Eardley, who becomes Managing Director at AllServiceOne for Wrightbus and Lorna Murphy, who moves from her role as Operations and HR Director to become Director of Buses for TfL.

The new leadership team at Transport UK London bus will support David in driving continued business growth within the UK whilst continuing to drive innovation and lead the sector in EV.

Alastair Willis has been appointed Commercial Director

Alastair has been promoted to Director after six successful years as Head of Commercial at Transport UK London Bus. Under Alastairs' leadership, Transport UK London Bus became the first operator to energise all its London depots.

Paul Hennigan has been appointed Fleet and Facilities Director

With over 25 years of industry experience at Oxford Bus, Paul joins Transport UK London Bus to lead the fleet and facilities teams and grow synergy further.

Adam Holden has been appointed Finance Director

Adam is an experienced finance director, having held management and director roles in the aerospace, transport and food industries over the last 20 years.

Sajid (Ziggy) Chaudry has been appointed Performance Director

An industry expert in driving bus performance in London, Ziggy will bring his deep knowledge of the sector to Transport UK London Bus in a cross-business role.

Trevor Johnson has been appointed interim Operations and HR Director

Trevor has served London’s bus industry for over four decades leading personnel and management teams and since 2014 as Area General Manager at Go Ahead London.

Dominic Booth, Chief Executive Officer at Transport UK Group, said:

"Transport UK is delighted to welcome David Cutts as the new Managing Director of TUK London Bus. Like most of the leadership at TUK, David worked his way up through the ranks. With nearly forty years working in public transport, he has extensive experience and a strong track record for delivering excellence.

“We are confident that under David’s leadership, TUK London Bus will continue to grow and deliver exceptional services to our customers. This appointment marks an exciting new chapter for the company, and I look forward to the sustainable and innovative contributions David will provide."

David Cutts, Managing Director of Transport UK London Bus, said:

“This is an incredibly exciting time for operators and the industry. I am delighted to lead a dedicated and skilled team at Transport UK London Bus, committed to delivering success for customers and stakeholders.

The team at TUK London Bus has achieved a huge amount in the last three years; under my leadership, we will continue to grow the business and support the Mayor of London’s 2030 vision for zero-emission buses.