Robert Gifford

Robert Gifford has over 25 years’ experience in Westminster, Whitehall and the public sector. This gives him a clear understanding of politics, politicians and how to effect significant change.

A graduate of Swansea and Exeter Universities, he spent 13 years as a teacher of English in secondary schools. This gave him a strong grounding in the need to develop and articulate messages in a language that is instantly accessible.

Between 1988 and 1994 he was a Principal Officer at the National Union of Teachers, with responsibility for secondary and higher education policy and for recruitment and training of members. During the same period, he was also an elected councillor on Milton Keynes Council, including three years as Leader of the Council. He therefore understands policy implementation from both the professional and political sides.

From May 1994 to December 2012, he was Executive Director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (www.pacts.org.uk).This is a registered charity and associate Parliamentary group, bringing together MPs, Peers and practitioners in transport safety to argue for research-based and cost-effective solutions to transport safety issues.

Through this post, he has built extensive contacts across the transport sector. These comprise the professional, public and academic sectors and they extend from chief executives to police officers with responsibility for roads policing. This gives him a comprehensive sense of the key players in improving our transport system.

He has regularly appeared on radio and television and is frequently quoted in the printed media. He is also asked to speak at conferences and seminars and has lectured at Cranfield, London and Leeds Universities.

Since the start of 2013, Robert has worked with a number of organisations on a freelance basis. These have included a review of governance structure for the West Midlands Road Safety Partnership, a paper on fatigue among pilots for the European Transport Safety Council, advice on developing an engagement strategy on biodiversity for the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and assistance for Bristol City Council on drafting a local road safety strategy. He is also chair of the Shadow Governance Board overseeing educational interventions for offending motorists.

For more on Robert’s achievements click here

Achievements

  • A strong understanding of policy and policy-making built up over two decades in Westminster
  • A knowledge of the public, private and professional sectors
  • A series of high profile reports influencing public policy
  • Conferences and events of a high quality in terms of both presentations and venues

Strengths

  • An excellent communicator in both oral and written media
  • Able to work with a range of organisations to achieve shared goals
  • A shrewd sense of what is achievable in the political context

News

Is gender a factor in road safety?

June 24, 2013 at 2:14 pm

A new report from the European Transport Safety Council ( www.etsc.eu ) published this week suggests that gender is a factor that we need to consider more fully in road safety. Across the European Union, 49% of the population is …
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Apprentices… apprentices… apprentices…

March 8, 2013 at 5:01 pm

Our economy needs more technically trained people if it is to grow …
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How Safe Can the Roads Be?

March 8, 2013 at 12:07 pm

Can we really achieve zero death and serious injury on our roads?
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