Ruth Cadbury Elected as Chair of Transport Select Committee

Brentford and Isleworth MP pledges to hold government to account

Ruth Cadbury prefers not to be described as a cyclist

September 12, 2024

Brentford & Isleworth MP Ruth Cadbury has succeeded in her bid to be elected chair of the Commons Transport Committee following a ballot of MPs.

She topped the poll in the first round of voting this Wednesday (11 September) but it required a third stage for her to gain the majority needed when she received 328 of the 554 votes cast.

She has previously served twice on the committee of back bench MPs which oversees the work of the Department of Transport and agencies in the sector such as Transport for London and Network Rail.

Following her win she said, “It is a great honour to be elected by MPs from across the House of Commons as the new Chair of the Transport Committee.

“Transport touches every aspect of our lives, from getting to work to seeing our loved ones and ensuring we can buy the goods we need. Furthermore, the local transport challenges vary considerably across the country.

“Working cross-party, this Committee will continue to champion the sector and consumers across the country. I can’t wait to start working with my new colleagues on holding the Government and service providers to account.”

Since being elected as an MP in 2010 she has been an advocate for active travel and was a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking (APPGCW) for eight years before she stepped down having been made a shadow minister.

She cycles regularly but is insistent that she should not be described as a cyclist, saying that it is just one of a number of modes of transport that she uses. She has been a supporter of Cycleway 9 but has also advocated for the full reopening of Hammersmith Bridge to motorised traffic.

Ben Curtis of Campaign for Better Transport said, “We are delighted to welcome Ruth Cadbury MP to her post as Chair of the Transport Select Committee. Ruth brings a wealth of experience from her shadow ministerial roles and her previous work on the committee, which will be invaluable during this crucial period when significant decisions about the future of our transport network must be made.

“If we are to make the right decisions on the future of public transport, around the establishment of Great British Railways, reform of the bus network and the integration of our transport network, amongst other things, we need rigorous parliamentary scrutiny. We look forward to working with the committee to assist them in our shared objective of making public transport more affordable, more efficient and more extensive.”

Her colleagues on the committee have yet to be selected.

Neighbouring MP Andy Slaughter was also successful in his bid to head up the Justice Committee gaining 400 votes in the first round with just one other candidate standing.