Skip to content

Commission

If you wish to commission or support a particular area of research we would be delighted to hear from you. Commissions to date include strategic planning and insight as well focusing on key policy areas such as fares systems, meeting the needs of towns, cities, rural and peripheral areas, and on the contribution that interurban bus networks can make.

Out team has a blend of expertise, including in local and central Government, experience leading radical transformations in the rail sector and urban public transport, and successes in economic renewal and regeneration.

Our team comprises:

Jim Steer, Director

Jim Steer, the founder of Greengauge21, also founded the transport consultancy Steer Davies Gleave in 1978. Jim was Managing Director there until 2002, when he took a three-year secondment to the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) in London, serving on the Executive as Managing Director, Strategic Planning. Jim returned to the consultancy in 2005 as a Director. He has thirty years consultancy experience, and is an authority on rail planning and policy, and on the experience in Britain of rail privatisation.

John Jarvis, Associate Director

John has been Associate Director of Greengauge 21 since May 2013 and is also Director of his own consultancy business. John has a deep understanding of evidence based policy development and as Transport Director for the Northern Way Transport Compact put in place the Northern Hub strategy and led the development of a strong North of England position on high speed rail. John received an ‘outstanding contribution’ award at the 2011 National Transport Awards.

Leo Eyles, Associate Director

Leo Eyles is an experienced transport economist with his own consultancy firm, Albion Economics Ltd, which has undertaken more than 60 commissions over the past 11 years. He took up an Associate Director role at Greengauge 21 in May 2014. Leo has particular expertise in understanding the role connectivity can play in economic regeneration and stimulating growth. He has worked in the environmental, labour market and regeneration sectors but most of his experience is in transport, especially rail. He has worked extensively in co-operation with advisory firms Atkins, Grant Thornton, Steer, Lichfields and others as well as direct secondments with Government and Transport for London. Leo has more than 30 years experience in consultancy, including leading advisory and technical roles in securing powers and funding for major investments such as the Sunderland extension of the Tyne and Wear Metro; Chiltern’s Marylebone-Oxford rail service; and, the rebuild of Birmingham New Street.

Richard Davies, Associate


Richard Davies is a consultant on rail economic, policy and strategy, having previously been Chief Economist and Director of Strategic Planning at the Strategic Rail Authority and subsequently Director of Strategic Policy for the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC).  After joining British Rail in 1990, he was closely involved in most aspects of the privatisation of the UK rail industry, particularly the formation of the ROSCOs, access charging and the initial financial framework for the industry.  He led the analytical team for the initial business case for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (now High Speed 1) in 1992/93 and has followed developments in high speed rail ever since, including developing ATOC’s position on HS2 in 2009/11.  He is particularly interested in the interaction between high speed rail with spatial and economic development as well the contribution that rail improvements can play in economic growth, including methods for modelling this.  He also co-ordinated ATOC’s work on franchise policy and, between 2015 and 2017, supported a number of DfT’s franchise relet projects including, until 2019, serving on DfT’s Franchise Advisory Panel reviewing the development of the franchise programme.  He also led ATOC’s engagement on EU Rail Reform, including the development of the Fourth Railway Package, and is familiar with the approach taken to reform in many EU member states, particularly in Germany and Sweden.

Stephen Joseph, Associate

Stephen Joseph is a transport policy consultant, specialising in urban and local issues and in smart transport. He has worked for a series of non-governmental organisations and charities, including the Council for Environmental Conservation Youth Unit, the British Youth Council, the Civic Trust and the Town & Country Planning Association. He was Chief Executive of Campaign for Better Transport from 1988 to 2018.  During that period, he led campaigns to reduce major road building, to increase rail investment including in new/ reopened lines and stations, and to highlight the importance of buses and the impact of cuts in bus services. Stephen was a member of the Commission for Integrated Transport from 1999-2005, having been one of the panel of external advisers on the Transport White Paper 1997-8, and was a member of the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment (SACTRA) during its inquiry on transport and the economy. He was also on the steering group for the Government’s road user charging feasibility study 2003-4 and was a member of challenge panels or advisory groups for Government plans on high-speed rail, eco-towns, transport appraisal and the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1996 for services to transport and the environment. He was appointed a visiting professor at the University of Hertfordshire in December 2018, having received an honorary doctorate from the University in November 2010. At present, Stephen is a trustee of the Foundation for Integrated Transport and is on the steering group of the Foundation’s Transport for New Homes project. He chairs the Smart Transport board for Bauer Media and is an adviser to the Rail Devolution Network. He is also chair of the Liverpool City Region Bus Alliance Board.

Deb Carson, Associate


Deb has worked with Greengauge 21 since 2012, bringing expertise on developing best practice around equality and community cohesion at a national and local level through her work with the Local Government Association. Bringing this experience into the transport sector – Deb is a Director at the Rail Innovation Group, leading on special projects, and Head of Operations at the High Speed Rail Group, where she is responsible for member relationships and stakeholder engagement. Deb also sits on the Board of the Kent Equality and Cohesion Network.

Get in touch by e-mail at co-ordinator@greengauge21.net.