The chief executive of Network Rail and two city mayors topped the list of figures from the transport sector in the 2025 New Year Honours, all receiving knighthoods.
Network Rail CEO Andrew Haines OBE, who also leads the Great British Railways Transition Team, was recognised for services to the transport sector and to the economy.
Current London mayor Sadiq Khan, who controversially expanded the Ultra-Low Emissions Zone to the whole city in 2023 was given a knighthood for political and public service, while Andy Street, who improved transport connectivity in the West Midlands until he was defeated in May, was knighted for public service.
Mr Khan, a former transport minister, said he was ‘truly humbled’, adding ‘I couldn’t have dreamed when growing up on a council estate in south London that I'd one day be Mayor of London.’
Richard Bruce, director of the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to decarbonising transport.
Truly humbled to have received a knighthood in the King’s New Year’s Honours.
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) December 30, 2024
I couldn’t have dreamed when growing up on a council estate in south London that I'd one day be Mayor of London.
It’s the honour of my life to serve the city I love.https://t.co/W7wHF7pm1V
Among those made Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) were Shanez Cheytan, deputy director, land transport national security at the Department for Transport (for services to rail passengers and transport) and Carolyn Griffiths chair of the Rail Group at the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (for services to the rail industry, to transport safety and to the engineering profession).
John Smith, chief executive officer of GB Railfreight (for services to rail freight transport) also received the gong.
The majority of honours in the transport sector were in the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) category. Network Rail’s chief security officer, Peter Gibbons was made an MBE (for services to the railway and to support for Ukraine) as was the organisation’s head of human resources, Janet Trowse (for services to the railway and to menopause awareness in the workplace).
Campaigner and former police officer Robert Heard was made an MBE for services to road safety, while Simon Ross, examiner, IAM and RoSPA BikeSafe and Biker Down Road Safety Workshops, was recognised for services to road safety for motorcyclists in Gloucestershire.
National Highways equality and diversity manager Julian Horsler was made an MBE for services to equality, accessibility and inclusion, while Go South Coast managing director Andrew Wickham received the same award for services to the bus industry.
Jessica Uguccioni, deputy head of the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles at the Department for Transport, became an MBE for services to the regulation of self-driving vehicles.
Recipients of the British Empire Medal in the sector included Lee Woolcott-Ellis, mental health lead manager at Southeastern Railway (for services to mental health in transport) and another Network Rail employee, project manager, social performance Kathleen O'Malley (for services to the railway and to tackling homelessness).
