Howard Collins on the move

THE man who made the London Tube work during last year's Olympics will be the next boss of Sydney's rail system.
Howard Collins, made an officer of the Order of the British Empire for his management of transport during the Olympics, will be the first head of Sydney Trains, the new organisation to run trains in the city.
The appointment continues a long tradition in Sydney of appointing British rail executives and has been hailed as a coup by the Transport Minister, Gladys Berejiklian.
''The fact we were able to attract someone of Mr Collins's calibre is a significant sign of confidence in the reforms we are undertaking,'' Ms Berejiklian said.

Mr Collins has had a 35-year career in the London transport system. He was responsible for restoring services after the 2005 London bombings and, by the Olympics, had the top job with the London Underground.
The appointment is a key one for the O'Farrell government and for Ms Berejiklian, who is overhauling the management of the state's rail system.
RailCorp, the operator of NSW trains, will be dissolved from July. Sydney Trains will operate most suburban services and NSW Trains will run services from regions such as the central coast and Wollongong as well as CountryLink.
The role of the chief executive of RailCorp, Rob Mason, will be downgraded. Mr Mason will take over as NSW Trains chief.


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