A new northern base for the national Women in Transport organisation is to be set up in York, thanks to a successful bid by the council.
Women in Transport campaigns for and supports women in the transport sector where only 20% of workers are currently female.
The new Yorkshire branch or ‘hub’ will mean face-to-face meetings, training and networking for women in transport industries across the region.
The news follows several years of work by the council to encourage girls to take up education, training and apprenticeships in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects (STEM), in partnership with the universities and industry.
It also follows the decision to base the new headquarters of Active Travel England in York and comes as work to bring Great British Railways to York gains momentum.
Women in Transport were impressed by the council’s record in developing smart transport, hyper hubs and major projects such as York Station frontage and York Central.
Councillor Andy D’Agorne, Deputy Leader of the council and Executive Member for Transport said: “This is fantastic news for York and is testament to leading work we’ve been doing in areas of transport from zero emission bus fleet to active travel. I would encourage anyone keen to promote better representation of women in the transport industry to get involved in this organisation.
“York has such strong transport heritage through its connection to the railway industry, but it’s important that we are continuing to look firmly to the future of smart transport and active travel. This new development is yet another achievement to be proud of.”
Sonya Byers, Chief Executive of Women in Transport, said: “As a leadership team, we have been very impressed by City of York’s commitment to challenging the lack of representation within the workplace and transport industry.
“Our network opens up opportunities for networking, support and professional development. We’re delighted to see this new Hub emerging to support the Council’s ambitious plans for the future including the UK’s first Gender Neutral Transport Plan.
“I very much look forward to welcoming our new members to Women in Transport and seeing how the Hub evolves and progresses to support greater gender balance in the region and advance more women in transport.”
Carrie Brook, a project manager in the council’s transport team and the city’s lead for Women in Transport York, said: “Having worked in the transport sector for five years, I’m delighted that Women in Transport have chosen York as their northern base.
“It will give women across the region the opportunity to get involved in and benefit from a wide range of opportunities including mentoring and development support. I’d encourage anyone who’s considering a role in the transport sector to get involved. It really is a great option and there is such a wide range of careers available.”
