Peter Gerard Hendy, Baron Hendy of Richmond Hill,[2]CBE (born 19 March 1953), is a British transport executive and politician who has served as Minister of State for Rail since July 2024.[3][4]
Transport for London's Commissioner, Peter Hendy, and the Revd James Westcott of St Chad's Church
London Transport
Hendy started his career in the public transport industry in 1975 as a London Transport graduate trainee.[8] He moved up the career ladder, eventually taking on the role of managing director of CentreWest London Buses Ltd in 1989, managing it under London Transport ownership.[8]
First Bus
In 1994, he led CentreWest through a management buyout with staff involvement, and subsequent expansion. After the takeover of CentreWest by FirstGroup in 1997, Hendy became Deputy Director UK Bus for FirstGroup, responsible for bus operations in London and southern England, bus development, and the operation of Croydon Tramlink.[8][9] He also became a director of New World First Bus in Hong Kong.[8][9]
During the London 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, Hendy chaired the 2012 Games Transport Board, which worked with LOCOG, transport operators, local authorities and others to ensure transportation of athletes, officials, staff, media and spectators across London.[8] He was subsequently knighted for his work at the Games.[11]
During 2014, Hendy reportedly spent over £1,200 in taxpayer-provided money on lunches and dinners, including on one occasion more than £90 in alcohol. During 2012, Hendy's salary was £650,000.[12]
In February 2015, Hendy was criticised by the Fawcett Society for attending a men-only dinner held by the Transport Golfing Society, as a guest of Alexander Dennis. Hendy apologised and made a personal donation to the Fawcett Society.[13]
In July 2015, Hendy left the position of Commissioner, replaced on an interim basis by Mike Brown (the Managing Director of London Underground and London Rail).[14]
Network Rail
In July 2015 he was appointed chair of Network Rail by the then Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin.[15] In June 2023, he was reappointed to the role to serve for a further two years.[16]
In 2024, Hendy pressured engineering consultancy SYSTRA to dismiss rail engineer Gareth Dennis for publicly voicing safety concerns regarding overcrowding at London's Euston station. Dennis characterized the station's design as "unsafe", a claim supported by an improvement notice from the Office of Rail and Road regarding passenger safety.[17][18][19] Hendy insisted SYSTRA take action against Dennis, threatening to withhold public contracts from the company. SYSTRA dismissed Dennis in early July 2024, stating in an email that he had "brought the name / reputation of SYSTRA Ltd and Network Rail into disrepute", referencing the article and Hendy's complaint about it.[17][18]
Department for Transport
On 8 July 2024 he was appointed to Keir Starmer's new Labour government as a minister of state in the Department for Transport, thereby leaving his role as chairman of Network Rail.[20][21][22]
In June 2020, he was appointed chair of the Union Connectivity Review. The terms of reference were published on 3 October 2020.[26] The review was published in November 2021.[27]
It was announced on 14 October 2022, that as part of the 2022 Special Honours, Hendy would receive a life peerage.[31] On 17 November 2022, Hendy was created Baron Hendy of Richmond Hill, of Imber in the County of Wiltshire.[32]
Personal life
Sir Peter Hendy's RM1005 on Route 188, at Canada Water, London.
Hendy owns two roadworthy London AEC Routemaster buses. He is part of the group of organisers of Imberbus,[33] the 23A scheduled bus service that runs once a year to the isolated and abandoned Wiltshire village of Imber, which is surrounded by military firing ranges on Salisbury Plain and is normally closed to the public. In 2019, 28 double-decker buses operated the route at 15-minute intervals from Warminster station.[34]
In 2013, Peter Hendy, who was then the Commissioner of Transport for London, was accused of engaging in a nine-month extramarital affair with a call girl. She alleged that Hendy provided her with several Oyster cards loaded with £10 as gifts.[18][35]
^"Londons bus improvements get Parliamentary seal of approval". Transport for London. 23 May 2006. Retrieved 18 August 2022. London has seen bus usage increase by 40 per cent since 2000/01 while elsewhere in England bus usage has fallen by seven per cent.
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