Proof of Evidence of Mr James Willcock

Document Reference Number OA/13
Proof of Evidence of Mr James Willcock
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 My name is James Willcock. I am the Strategic Transport Policy & Development
Team Manager for North Somerset Council. I have worked for North Somerset
Council since 2008. My responsibilities include Transport Policy, Transport Data
Unit, Major Transport Schemes, Transport Projects (other than major schemes) and
Development Management (Highways & Transport).
1.2 I hold a BSc (Hons) in Transportation. I have 19 years’ professional experience in
transport planning covering a range of disciplines including transport and land use
policy; project and programme management; planning, appraisal and procurement
of rail and bus infrastructure schemes; management and procurement of bus
operations.
1.3 Prior to joining North Somerset Council, I worked for Land Transport New Zealand,
(LTNZ) between 2006 and 2008. LTNZ was the government agency with
responsibility for the national regulation and funding of transport, the agency has
now been superseded by the New Zealand Transport Authority. My role as
Manager Programmes for the central region entailed major appraisal and
procurement responsibility for various major rail and bus infrastructure schemes in
Greater Wellington. Before working for LTNZ I worked for Bath & North East
Somerset Council in the capacity of Public Transport Team Leader, between 2000
and 2006.
1.4 This Proof of Evidence concerns the procurement of bus services (Bus Rapid Transit
(BRT) services and feeder bus services) and the BRT network operation including its
on-going management and maintenance. Essentially, my area covers the
operational and commercial aspects of the scheme, and the delivery of the wider
integrated network of BRT and feeder bus services.
1.5 I hereby declare that insofar as the contents of this Proof of Evidence are matters
within my knowledge they are true. Insofar as they are not within my direct
knowledge, they are true to the best of my knowledge and belief and are drawn
from documentation and information to which I have had access.
1.6 This Proof of Evidence demonstrates the councils have a coherent strategy for the
procurement of bus services (BRT services and feeder bus services) and how this is
framed within the overall operational framework for the on-going management
and maintenance of the AVTM scheme and further proposed BRT schemes.
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