I was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2017, becoming Chairman on the 26th April 2020, having become more involved with the workings of the Association since being one of the 50 who attended the 30th Anniversary Pilgrimage. I am the point of contact for “Health and Safety”, as good practice we now have a H & S policy for the Association. in addition to this brief I also support and assist the Board of Trustees, to promote the values of SAMA 82.

On leaving the Army (3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment) my goal was to pursue a new career in the Motor Industry, as time went on and I progressed in to management I became very interested in planning and project management. I decided to study for a professional qualification, duly done I joined the Civil Service as a Senior Policy Advisor for Influencing Travel Behavior at the Highways Agency an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport (DfT). Developing smarted travel and safety innovation for our Motorway and Trunk road network in England, collaborating jointly with travel planning experts in the private sector and other Government Agencies.On promotion I mover to the Central Department of DfT based in Westminster as the Head of Business Service at Transport Direct (an on line multi modal travel planning tool). My role was to enhance usage of the service by collaboration with the private sector, allowing them access to Government services using their own branding. A major project for travel planning was to develop the system to allow an option of multiple journey planning for travel planners by using the system overnight allowing the pre loading of information for the servers quieter hours, resulting in an average of 250,000 uses a week. The Transport Direct service also devised and developed a bespoke system for the 2012 Olympics, making the system accessible for disabled use in Gt Britain and N Ireland, a first in the World. Imagine a planned journey from the Shetlands by plane, boat,
train, underground and a cab to watch the beach volley ball at Horseguards Parade in London with disabled assistance pre booked.

My goal as a Trustee of SAMA 82 is to assist the Association for the next generation, embracing modern methods and ensuring that the efforts of the Task Force in 1982 are remembered.

Disclaimer: Chairman Profile written & submitted by Mr Thomas Herring