Peter Hendy joined Transport for London in January 2001. Peter was awarded a CBE in the 2006 New Year's Honours List, and took up the post of Commissioner on 1 February 2006.
Peter was previously Deputy Director - UK Bus for FirstGroup plc. In this role he was responsible for FirstGroup bus operations in London and southern England, bus development and policy issus and light rail, lincluding the operation of the Croydon Tramlink.
He joined London Transport (LT) as a graduate trainee in 1975, was the personal assistant to the Chairman of LT in 1978, and gained experience in all aspects of bus operations before appointment to senior posts, in personnel in 1980, and in operations from 1983. He was appointed Managing Director of CentreWest London Buses Ltd on its formation in 1989. Under his direction, CentreWest gained the reputation of being the most innovative and successful of the large London companies, developing better services, increasing patronage using midibuses and real time information technology and introducing low floor accessible buses.
Peter led the successful buy-out of CentreWest by its management, with staff involvement, in September 1994. Having acquired Q Drive Buses in March 1996, CentreWest also became part of a consoritum, Tramtrack Croydon Limited, which won the PFI project to design, build, operate and maintain the Croydon Tramlink system. FirstGroup plc purchased CentreWest in March 1997, and he became Divisional Director, London and South East, relinquishing the role of Managing Director of CentreWest in July 1998. In 1998/99, he was also a Director of New World First Bus and New World First Ferries in Hong Kong, FirstGroup's first overseas venture. From 1994 to 2000 he was a Council member of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, and was formerly a member of the Industrial Tribunals.
Peter is Chair of the Commission for Integrated Transport (CfIT), having been appointed in 2005, by the Secretary of State for Transport Alistair Darling, for a three year term. CfIT provides independent advice to Government on future transport policy options, the potential for new technology, and best practice in transport.
