Cllr Andrew Fender, chairman of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, is standing down after a prestigious 41-year political career.
He is best known for his role in laying the foundations of Metrolink, which was first opened in 1992 and is now the UK’s largest light rail network.
He was first elected as a councillor on the former Greater Manchester County Council (GMC) in 1977, and elected Chair of the GMC Transport Strategy Committee in 1981.
He has also overseen several other high-profile transport schemes, such as state-of-the art transport interchanges and the North West’s first guided busway.
He was awarded the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham says: “To have served the public for more than 40 years is a remarkable achievement in itself and I’d like to congratulate Andrew on his long and distinguished career.
“I remember clearly, before becoming Mayor, working closely with Andrew on the Leigh Guided Busway and his calm and steadying influence throughout that particular project.
“He listened to local residents in those early days, when plenty were wary and sceptical of the scheme, addressed their concerns and never wavered in his vision and commitment to improving transport in our area. The end result is a fantastic system that has exceeded all expectations.
“As an MP and as Mayor I have seen him repeatedly apply his knowledge and approach. We all have reasons to be grateful for Andrew’s tireless work over many, many decades and I wish him all the very best for his retirement.”
Cllr Fender says: “It has been a privilege and an honour to serve Greater Manchester and its people for the last 41 years but I feel that the time is right to step aside.
“I am proud of how far the region has developed in that time but there is still a lot of work to do as we look to develop an even more flexible and integrated transport system that will help cope with future economic and social demands.
“I am confident that the future of our public transport is in good hands and that the measures outlined in the 2040 Strategy will help deliver a cleaner, greener and more prosperous region.
“I will of course remain a committed transport enthusiast and will continue to watch progress with keen interest.”
