Barker Gotelee

New Eastern Traffic Commissioner from 1st May 2008

After a long period without an Eastern Traffic Area Traffic Commissioner, since the retirement of Geoffrey Simms, a new appointment has been made and the following Government News Network announcement with regard to this is: “Richard Turfitt has been appointed as the new Traffic Commissioner for the Eastern Area Traffic Office by the Secretary of State for Transport, Ruth Kelly. He will take up his new role on 1 May 2008.   Richard is a barrister and, prior to his appointment, headed the Health and Safety Executive's Litigation and Enforcement Advisory Team based in London, and was also Legal Adviser to the statutory inquiry, under the chairmanship of Lord Newton, in to the circumstances surrounding the Buncefield explosion. He therefore brings particular experience of the regulation of risks to employee and public safety.   Senior Traffic Commissioner, Philip Brown, commented on the appointment: "I am delighted that the recent recruitment competition has resulted in someone of Richard's experience and calibre joining our team of regional Traffic Commissioners. Traffic Commissioners hold licence applicants and holders to account and ensure they operate with good repute, financial standing and professional competence to deliver services to their customers and passengers. It is an important role, and one in which I am sure Richard will excel."   In his new role, Richard will take responsibility for the regulation of bus, coach and goods vehicle operators, and registration of local bus services. Where appropriate, Richard can call operators or individual drivers to a Public Inquiry, usually held in Cambridge, where concerns about service operation or driver conduct can be heard.   The Eastern Area traffic office covers the counties of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire (except the Districts of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire), Norfolk, Northamptonshire and Suffolk; the Districts of Leicester, Luton, Milton Keynes, Peterborough, Rutland, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock.   Richard is aged 37. He was brought up in rural Cornwall but currently lives in Kingston where he is a Justice of Peace. He was in private practice in the Chambers of Joanna Greenberg QC at 3 Temple Gardens and then 3 Hare Court, the Chambers of William Clegg QC (now at 2 Bedford Row), before joining the Government Legal Service”.   For more information contact Tim Ridyard - Partner and Higher Rights Courts Advocate (Criminal) at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Tim Ridyard © Barker Gotelee