GMPTE boss steps down

April 20, 2009

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David Leather

THE man who helped lead Greater Manchester into the congestion charge referendum is quitting just four months after the resounding no vote.

David Leather, interim chief executive of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive has been seconded to the role since 2006.

Now the executive is advertising to replace him with a permanent appointment - with a salary of £200,000.

Father-of-three Mr Leather, who lives in Bowdon, was finance director and deputy chief executive of Manchester 2002, the company set up to run the Commonwealth Games.

He moved to Manchester Airport as finance director before joining Ernst & Young as an audit partner.

He has always said that he did not want to do the PTE job permanently and his departure was predicted by many insiders as soon as the Transport Innovation Fund bid was abandoned last December.

The recruitment is being handled by top recruitment agency Veredus and the successful applicant would topple Manchester council's chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein - who earns £186,000 from his position as the highest public sector earner.

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Chris R, Irlam (20/04/2009 at 08:55)

Bye - don't let the door hit your backside on the way out!

Jay B, oldham (20/04/2009 at 11:28)

lets hope other pro TIF supporters high up in office take note and follow him!

Princess_Pam, Crumpsall (20/04/2009 at 11:49)

What we really need is somebody who knows what the local buses, trains, and roads were like before privatisation. We also need somebody who will support Victoria being upgraded back into a mainline stations and a loop so that Piccadilly can be avoided by trains from the south. And buses only subsidised if they cross the city from north to south and vice versa.

The stinking kipper, pinned under the table (20/04/2009 at 11:55)

Clearly the only honourable one amongst em

JTC Formerley JimC (20/04/2009 at 11:59)

Is that John Boy of Little House On The Prarie.

Black Flag (20/04/2009 at 12:20)

Princess Pam: "What we really need is somebody who knows what the local buses, trains, and roads were like before privatisation."

In a word, awful, although I'm not aware of much of the road network being privatised.

Mark,Radcliffe. (20/04/2009 at 12:33)

4 months to make a decision....what was wrong with the intervening period..New Tax year perchance ?

Rammylad (20/04/2009 at 13:10)

I think I will apply for the job, after all I can squander £30m of anybodys money quite easily.

Voice of the people, Stockport (20/04/2009 at 13:50)

GMPTE is an inefficient, overstaffed, self protecting body where the majority of senior staff are in interim positions doing roles they are not qualified to do - ALL PAID FOR BY THE PUBLIC PURSE. Staff are not interested in doing a great job for the general public, they are only bothered about their wages and holidays, and extremely generous pensions. GMPTE has it's head in the clouds as demonstrated by the debacle of the congestion charge vote - they haven't got a clue what people want, and how to deliver it - if they had, there wouldn't be so many people still travelling to work in their car.

Is It Me? (20/04/2009 at 15:18)

200 grand!! Thats more than the Prime Minister earns and for what?

Sassa (20/04/2009 at 15:25)

I have to agree with Voice of the people 100%. I have experienced first hand how inefficeint and self protecting GMPTE are.
My boyfriend was knocked off his motorbike by one of their buses last Friday, his bikes 3 weeks old and a wreck and he's been in and out of hospital with his wrist and still hasn't received an appology. Yet there were numerous people from GMPTE at the scene to protect their member of staff.
Disgusting.

Munkey Boy, Audenshaw (20/04/2009 at 15:35)

Sassa: "My boyfriend was knocked off his motorbike by one of their buses last Friday, his bikes 3 weeks old and a wreck and he's been in and out of hospital with his wrist and still hasn't received an appology."

Since when did GMPTE run buses?!?

citycentre, manchester (20/04/2009 at 16:09)

Sassa

I suspect the employees of GMPTE (or more likely the bus company) are forbiden from making any comment on fault ot liabilty (and this would include any apology) until after the insurance companies on both sides have reached agreement.

Sassa (20/04/2009 at 16:18)

Munkey Boy.

Here educate yourself.
www.gmpte.co.uk

Sassa (20/04/2009 at 16:25)

Munkey boy, you live/ are from audenshaw. i'm denton, have you never noticed the stagecoach buses are run by GMPTE, also trams and trains.

MPs gravy train, UK (20/04/2009 at 16:54)

£200k a year. Not bad. Could I squeeze that in on top of my MPs job. Not a bad little earner. I love these quangos. I could get free transport too to add to my growing perks list.

Munkey Boy, Audenshaw (20/04/2009 at 16:59)

Sassa: "Munkey boy, you live/ are from audenshaw. i'm denton, have you never noticed the stagecoach buses are run by GMPTE, also trams and trains."

Stagecoach buses are NOT run by GMPTE, I don't know what gave you that impression. Stagecoach are a private company in no way liable to GMPTE. Trams are also run by Stagecoach, and the trains are run by several franchises, the local one being Northern Rail. I think the whole concept of privatisation has passed you by perhaps.

GMPTE maintain the bus stops, which is perhaps where you've got confused.

tony (21/04/2009 at 15:46)

It is long overdue to be abolished, it is totally useless. None of the private operators take a blind bit of notice of it. Go now.

Kurt Stephens (22/04/2009 at 08:35)

Sassa - great stuff.

Just about sums up what is wrong with this country, utter ignorance forming negative opinion.

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