Alistair Gordon, CEO UK, Ireland, Middle East and India, Keolis UK on Building a more inclusive network in Manchester
This article appeared in the November 2025 issue of Rail Professional.
Manchester has had its fair share of transport headlines in recent years – from the scrapping of the Northern leg of HS2 to the evolution of Andy Burnham’s Bee Network through to recent calls for a Northern Arc connecting the city to its North West neighbour, Liverpool.
True, infrastructure and integration dominate the debate. But a quieter, though no less important, transformation has been unfolding on the city’s tram network in recent years.
As operators of Metrolink through KeolisAmey Metrolink (KAM), we’ve placed people at the heart of our strategy – not just those who use our services, but also the people who deliver them. And in an industry where legacy structures can lag behind modern expectations, Metrolink is showing how a rail operator can lead on workplace inclusion, skills development and culture change.
Shifting to people-centric leadership
The transport industry has traditionally been measured by hard metrics – punctuality, performance, fleet reliability. But in our view, sustainable success also comes from investing just as deeply in people.
That’s why in 2024 we restructured our leadership model, shifting decision-making directions from outside the sector to meet the challenges the status quo and foster a more human-centred approach.
We’ve worked hard to create an environment where people can be themselves – and now that’s reflected in our senior leadership and management in engagement surveys, which inform real-time changes across the business. Last year’s employee engagement score hit 71 per cent, up from 41 per cent, thanks to initiatives like our ‘Nice One’ recognition scheme and mental health support programmes that include pop-up wellbeing kiosks and confidential counselling.
Fostering tomorrow’s leaders
Creating career pathways is key to sustaining and strengthening this shift. Since 2017 we’ve introduced 36 apprenticeships across the network, with a particular focus on engineering – one of the UK’s most critical skills gaps. We’ve also supported internal upskilling through the apprenticeship levy, introduced management development programmes like ‘Track to Success’, and piloted mentoring initiatives aimed at improving progression for underrepresented groups.
A standout initiative is our leadership training programme ‘Leading KAM’, accredited by the Institute of Leadership. It combines workshops, coaching and on-the-job learning to equip future leaders with both technical competence and emotional intelligence. Already, 30 per cent of colleagues on the scheme have been promoted, helping to build a leadership team that better reflects the communities we serve.
But cultural change takes time, and it starts with early engagement. That’s why we’ve invested heavily in outreach to schools, colleges and community groups, reaching over 19,000 students across Greater Manchester. We’ve built partnerships with The Girls’ Network and Career Connect to inspire girls to study STEM and to demonstrate the breadth of careers in transport.
And on social media, a dedicated Instagram account offers young people a behind-the-scenes look at what a modern career in public transport looks like. By changing how and where we tell our story, we’re connecting with Gen Z in a language they understand – and encouraging more women and young people to see themselves in this industry.
Moving past metrics
Transport still has a way to go on diversity. At KAM, we’ve made conscious strides: our exec team is now 33 per cent female and 17 per cent ethnically diverse, with further plans to improve entry-level representation. We’ve launched training on inclusive leadership, bias awareness and autism understanding, alongside staff-led resource groups focused on topics like Women in Transport, Menopause, and the Armed Forces.
But it’s not just about representation – it’s about belonging. Whether it’s our Pride celebrations or our mental-health support offering, we’re creating a culture where every colleague feels valued, heard and supported.
A strategy that is future-proofed
As we look to the future of Metrolink and the wider Bee Network, we see an opportunity to set new standards – not only for public transport, but for how industry treats its people. Inclusive, engaging, and people-first transport isn’t just a moral imperative – it’s a competitive advantage.
Rail operators must evolve if we want the next generation to feel proud to be part of the industry. At KAM, we’re not just looking at where the network needs to be in ten years; we’re looking at who builds it, who runs it, and who benefits from it. The future of transport is one where people are the why as much as the how we go – it’s about who comes along for the ride with us.
Click here to read the article on page 31 of Rail Professional.