Heidi Alexander has resigned

[wirewiper]

Heidi Alexander, London's Deputy Mayor for Transport, resigned from the role yesterday (23rd December 2021). She will be replaced by Seb Dance, who was a Labour MEP until the UK withdrew from the European Parliament in January 2020. Mr Dance will take up his post from 4th January. 

She is reported to be  taking a short career break to consider her next career move, and may return to politics as a front-line MP - she was Labour MP for Lewisham East but stood down in 2016 in protest at Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the party. She joined Sadiq Khan's team in 2018. 

She will remain on the Transport for London Board until the Elizabeth Line opens. 

www.standard.co.uk/news/london/heidi-alexander-quits-london-city-hall-sadiq-khan-tfl-funding-crisis-b972931.html

[busman]

I wonder how this news is being received at TfL towers. Is this a good thing or a bad thing for TfL/Andy Byford?

[uakari]

Hopefully her replacement actually has qualifications in transport and will take a more compassionate and supportive view of bus users and bus travel, as opposed to being fixated on cyclists. It would also be good to have someone who takes more of a leading role and doesn't just repeat what execs in TfL itself tell them to say. I would say it couldn't be any worse, but then you need to be careful what you wish for.