OREANDA-NEWS. Network Rail has a new managing director in Wales, tasked with delivering a bigger, better railway for passengers and businesses in Wales and the borders.

Andy Thomas joined the organisation on Monday 1 August from the Keolis Group where he was managing director for Hyderbad Mass Transit Metro in India.

Network Rail Wales operates and maintains more than 900 miles of track across Wales and the border counties of England and is a significant employer, employing over 1,400 people.

Over 1,300 trains run on the rail network in Wales daily, connecting people and communities in towns and cities in many rural areas.

Andy said: “It’s great to be part of the Network Rail Wales team. This is a really exciting time with improvements being delivered across the rail network, including modernising the railway with the electrification of the South Wales Mainline and Cardiff Area Signalling Renewal project – the largest re-signalling project ever undertaken in Britain.

“Over the coming months, I will be meeting with colleagues and others who play a role in Network Rail’s operations in Wales, as we work to not only deliver a safe and reliable railway but deliver ambitious plans for a bigger and better railway for passengers and businesses.

“I would also like to thank Paul McMahon who has been caretaking the role since September last year.”

Andy has almost three decades of experience providing strategic, programme and operations leadership to major transport and engineering businesses internationally, including successful strategic leadership roles with Transport for New South Wales in Australia and Transport for London, where he was head of strategic planning and performance.

About Network Rail

Network Rail owns, manages and develops Britain's railway - the 20,000 miles of track, 40,000 bridges and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations (the largest of which we also run). In partnership with train operators we help people take more than 1.65bn journeys by rail every year and move hundreds of millions of tonnes of freight, saving almost 8m lorry journeys. We employ 36,000 people across Britain and work round-the-clock, each and every day, to provide a safe, reliable railway.