Who's in charge of Heathrow?
Discussion
Having seen Mr Hopeless interviewed on TV in his little yellow fluorescent jacket I was wondering which stone he had been hiding under. Times online tells us,
"Colin Matthews is the technocrats’ troubleshooter. The former chief executive of Hays and Severn Trent has a reputation for being a technician and a safe pair of hands, ideal for BAA where regulatory complexity goes hand in hand with an almost daily need for damage limitation.
"Sir Nigel Rudd, the chairman who was responsible for his appointment after a very discreet recruitment exercise, has not worked directly with him before. However, Mr Matthews is understood to have been recommended to Sir Nigel by Sir John Parker, the chairman of National Grid.
"In the last 11 years, Mr Matthews, an engineer by training, has spent no more than two years in any one job.
"Following a three-year stint at Bain, the management consultancy in the mid-80s, he has worked at General Electric, British Airways (where he managed Concorde's return to the air), Transco, Lattice, Hays and latterly water company Severn Trent.
"At Hays and Severn Trent, where he held chief executive roles he garnered a reputation for successfully breaking up companies. He demerged Hays’s mail business DX and at Severn Trent, demerged Biffa, its waste business.
"Mr Matthews is adept at profitably spinning off businesses."
Sounds to me as though he was tipped into the job on the old boy network. No wonder the UKs biggest airport is in such a shambles this week. Might be helpful if someone taught him how to use a spade and start digging!
"Colin Matthews is the technocrats’ troubleshooter. The former chief executive of Hays and Severn Trent has a reputation for being a technician and a safe pair of hands, ideal for BAA where regulatory complexity goes hand in hand with an almost daily need for damage limitation.
"Sir Nigel Rudd, the chairman who was responsible for his appointment after a very discreet recruitment exercise, has not worked directly with him before. However, Mr Matthews is understood to have been recommended to Sir Nigel by Sir John Parker, the chairman of National Grid.
"In the last 11 years, Mr Matthews, an engineer by training, has spent no more than two years in any one job.
"Following a three-year stint at Bain, the management consultancy in the mid-80s, he has worked at General Electric, British Airways (where he managed Concorde's return to the air), Transco, Lattice, Hays and latterly water company Severn Trent.
"At Hays and Severn Trent, where he held chief executive roles he garnered a reputation for successfully breaking up companies. He demerged Hays’s mail business DX and at Severn Trent, demerged Biffa, its waste business.
"Mr Matthews is adept at profitably spinning off businesses."
Sounds to me as though he was tipped into the job on the old boy network. No wonder the UKs biggest airport is in such a shambles this week. Might be helpful if someone taught him how to use a spade and start digging!
They do seem to be doing a good job of keeping the media out of the terminals though.
Have you noticed that the only footage you're seeing is from passengers phones.
I hear that the riot police are out in Gare Du Nord stopping people from filming the chaos even from an individuals perspective
Have you noticed that the only footage you're seeing is from passengers phones.
I hear that the riot police are out in Gare Du Nord stopping people from filming the chaos even from an individuals perspective
Ozzie Osmond said:
Having seen Mr Hopeless interviewed on TV in his little yellow fluorescent jacket I was wondering which stone he had been hiding under. Times online tells us,
"Colin Matthews is the technocrats’ troubleshooter. The former chief executive of Hays and Severn Trent has a reputation for being a technician and a safe pair of hands, ideal for BAA where regulatory complexity goes hand in hand with an almost daily need for damage limitation.
"Sir Nigel Rudd, the chairman who was responsible for his appointment after a very discreet recruitment exercise, has not worked directly with him before. However, Mr Matthews is understood to have been recommended to Sir Nigel by Sir John Parker, the chairman of National Grid.
"In the last 11 years, Mr Matthews, an engineer by training, has spent no more than two years in any one job.
"Following a three-year stint at Bain, the management consultancy in the mid-80s, he has worked at General Electric, British Airways (where he managed Concorde's return to the air), Transco, Lattice, Hays and latterly water company Severn Trent.
"At Hays and Severn Trent, where he held chief executive roles he garnered a reputation for successfully breaking up companies. He demerged Hays’s mail business DX and at Severn Trent, demerged Biffa, its waste business.
"Mr Matthews is adept at profitably spinning off businesses."
Sounds to me as though he was tipped into the job on the old boy network. No wonder the UKs biggest airport is in such a shambles this week. Might be helpful if someone taught him how to use a spade and start digging!
I saw that! +1"Colin Matthews is the technocrats’ troubleshooter. The former chief executive of Hays and Severn Trent has a reputation for being a technician and a safe pair of hands, ideal for BAA where regulatory complexity goes hand in hand with an almost daily need for damage limitation.
"Sir Nigel Rudd, the chairman who was responsible for his appointment after a very discreet recruitment exercise, has not worked directly with him before. However, Mr Matthews is understood to have been recommended to Sir Nigel by Sir John Parker, the chairman of National Grid.
"In the last 11 years, Mr Matthews, an engineer by training, has spent no more than two years in any one job.
"Following a three-year stint at Bain, the management consultancy in the mid-80s, he has worked at General Electric, British Airways (where he managed Concorde's return to the air), Transco, Lattice, Hays and latterly water company Severn Trent.
"At Hays and Severn Trent, where he held chief executive roles he garnered a reputation for successfully breaking up companies. He demerged Hays’s mail business DX and at Severn Trent, demerged Biffa, its waste business.
"Mr Matthews is adept at profitably spinning off businesses."
Sounds to me as though he was tipped into the job on the old boy network. No wonder the UKs biggest airport is in such a shambles this week. Might be helpful if someone taught him how to use a spade and start digging!
Engineer by trade...
don't insult the name!Brunel 'was' an Engineer.
Could Matthews screw a nut on a bolt?
Looks like a dreamer to me.
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/p...
Edited by dandarez on Wednesday 22 December 14:44
a stupid question If I may,
The last few days they have been talking about how Heathrow was closed due to snow etc etc. The reportes have been vared from entering the buildings and filming so they have filmed outside.
You can clearly see the roads are absolutey perfectly clear without the aid of specialist equipment running up them every 5 minutes so what the hell are they frigging playing at ?
The last few days they have been talking about how Heathrow was closed due to snow etc etc. The reportes have been vared from entering the buildings and filming so they have filmed outside.
You can clearly see the roads are absolutey perfectly clear without the aid of specialist equipment running up them every 5 minutes so what the hell are they frigging playing at ?
Pesty said:
a stupid question If I may,
The last few days they have been talking about how Heathrow was closed due to snow etc etc. The reportes have been vared from entering the buildings and filming so they have filmed outside.
You can clearly see the roads are absolutey perfectly clear without the aid of specialist equipment running up them every 5 minutes so what the hell are they frigging playing at ?
I would guess that on roads, you can grit, salt and not worry too much if what's left ices over in parts.The last few days they have been talking about how Heathrow was closed due to snow etc etc. The reportes have been vared from entering the buildings and filming so they have filmed outside.
You can clearly see the roads are absolutey perfectly clear without the aid of specialist equipment running up them every 5 minutes so what the hell are they frigging playing at ?
The exact opposite of what's needed where planes go.
Buggles said:
Langweilig said:
I've just heard on News at Ten that the Government offered to send troops in to Heathrow. But in their finite wisdom, the suits at Heathrow declined the offer. In which case the Government should've IMPOSED the troops on Heathrow.
Why should they have? Why should the troops have to go and clear an airport on their Christmas leave? Is it that urgent that people jet off everywhere? Do the troops get anything back? Have they ever done any favours for us?
They are a money making company who should damn well be left to sort out their own mess.
Buggles said:
Langweilig said:
I've just heard on News at Ten that the Government offered to send troops in to Heathrow. But in their finite wisdom, the suits at Heathrow declined the offer. In which case the Government should've IMPOSED the troops on Heathrow.
Why should they have? Why should the troops have to go and clear an airport on their Christmas leave? Is it that urgent that people jet off everywhere? Do the troops get anything back? Have they ever done any favours for us?
They are a money making company who should damn well be left to sort out their own mess.
We are now into our 4th session of snow disruption since February 2009.
It is about time that those responsible for the transport infrastructure of the nation took their legal obligations to keep the country moving seriously.
Since the 1980s, the vast bulk of our public transport infrastructure has been passed over to the hands of private shareholders who's main raison d'etre is to maximise shareholder income - not to run their operations efficiently for the benefit of the users of the system. Indeed, much of this infrastructure is in the hands of foreign owners who's 1st priority may not lie with keeping the UK moving. Indeed, profits made from their UK operations might be syphoned off to operation in their home countries where they may have more governmental or political pressure put upon them to keep THEIR infrastructure working properly.
The UK government have limited power or ability to step in and order (or even take over) what is, in effect, a private commercial operation.
It is about time that those responsible for the transport infrastructure of the nation took their legal obligations to keep the country moving seriously.
Since the 1980s, the vast bulk of our public transport infrastructure has been passed over to the hands of private shareholders who's main raison d'etre is to maximise shareholder income - not to run their operations efficiently for the benefit of the users of the system. Indeed, much of this infrastructure is in the hands of foreign owners who's 1st priority may not lie with keeping the UK moving. Indeed, profits made from their UK operations might be syphoned off to operation in their home countries where they may have more governmental or political pressure put upon them to keep THEIR infrastructure working properly.
The UK government have limited power or ability to step in and order (or even take over) what is, in effect, a private commercial operation.
Edited by Eric Mc on Wednesday 22 December 08:55
Eric Mc said:
We are now into our 4th session of snow disruption since February 2009.
It is about time that those responsible for the transport infrastructure of the nation took their legal obligations to keep the country moving seriously.
Since the 1980s, the vast bulk of our public transport infrastructure has been passed over to the hands of private shareholders who's main raison d'etre is to maximise shareholder income - not to run their operations efficiently for the benefit of the users of the system. Indeed, much of this infrastructure is in the hands of foreign owners who's 1st priority may not lie with keeping the UK moving. Indeed, profits made from their UK operations might be syphoned off to operation in their home countries where they may have more governmental or political pressure put upon them to keep THEIR infrastructure working properly.
The UK government have limited power or ability to step in and order (or even take over) what is, in effect, a private commercial operation.
Network rail have had big problems and they are publically owned again now. Public or private someone has to pay and they degree of cold preparation that is appropriate depends on the cost and how likely such snow is.It is about time that those responsible for the transport infrastructure of the nation took their legal obligations to keep the country moving seriously.
Since the 1980s, the vast bulk of our public transport infrastructure has been passed over to the hands of private shareholders who's main raison d'etre is to maximise shareholder income - not to run their operations efficiently for the benefit of the users of the system. Indeed, much of this infrastructure is in the hands of foreign owners who's 1st priority may not lie with keeping the UK moving. Indeed, profits made from their UK operations might be syphoned off to operation in their home countries where they may have more governmental or political pressure put upon them to keep THEIR infrastructure working properly.
The UK government have limited power or ability to step in and order (or even take over) what is, in effect, a private commercial operation.
In the case of heathrow an investment of a few million could drastically improve performance, so it should happen ASAP.
In the case of the railways you are talking billions to make the network more resistant to snow disruption.
Can someone put forward a logical explanation of why those in charge of Heathrow have chosen not to make the investments that would prevent the snow from affecting its operations so much? Something other than just 'they're f
king idiots'? Or are those affected claiming that the Heathrow owners are actually benefitting from this situation?
king idiots'? Or are those affected claiming that the Heathrow owners are actually benefitting from this situation?Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff