Mike Jones

Mike Jones is one of the Rail Industry’s leading innovators. A recognised pioneer, his strategic thinking has been a significant contribution to the commercialisation of the UK Rail Industry. Mike is one of the Industry’s most formidable analysts, possessing a deep understanding of passenger and freight rail economics and systems. Mike was the first in the industry to create an ‘open access’ railway – Hull Trains, which operates profitably between Hull and London. He continues to be a director of the company.

Mike is a founding Director of Renaissance Trains Limited and has developed other proposals to run inter urban passenger services under the open access regime. The latest initiative is the Wrexham and Shropshire Railway where services started in April 2008. Mike is a Director of the operations board.

His skills and experience embrace a thorough understanding of the economic characteristics of railways and the structure of the industry following privatisation. Since 2004 he has worked with a number of owning groups in bidding for rail franchises and has developed plans that have all received the highest commendations from DfT and been central to the success of bids he has supported and advised upon.

Mike is a recognised expert in the areas of rail customer services, both on-board trains and at stations. In his own words he believes in ‘immaculate’ customer service and he can back this up with practical experience that stems from a long-standing and highly credited industry career. He also possesses a deep understanding of rail markets and customer needs and behaviour, with a sound knowledge of the tactical, day-to-day matters that require managerial focus.

Following 15 years in grass roots operational and commercial appointments running passenger and freight services Mike was appointed National Marketing Manger for Speedlink. In this role he was responsible for developing a national distribution network of wagon-load services including marketing strategy and wagon design specifications for both conventional and inter-modal vehicles.

In 1982 he became National Business Manager, Railfreight responsible for all trading activity associated with the movement of chemicals and industrial minerals by rail. He moved on in 1986 to fulfil the same responsibilities for petroleum products .In both posts Mike had bottom line responsibility for these very large turnover businesses and had lead responsibility for commercial contracts with customers such as ICI, English China Clay, BP Chemicals, Shell UK and Esso. These responsibilities included reaching agreement with both customers and wagon manufacturers on the specification for the design and construction of wagons and terminals.

In these roles Mike was also responsible for sponsoring major BR investment programmes for the development of freight including the Class 60 locomotive requirement and air braked wagon fleet. In 1990 Mike became Senior Business Manager for BR Telecoms and continued in that role with Racal Telecom Ltd. In this post he was responsible for the definition and pricing of telecom products and services provided by BR’s former S&T organisation. He was latterly retained by Racal Electronics plc to advise on market opportunities in the sector and to take the lead in negotiating many of their largest commercial contracts.

Mike has continued his involvement in the telecoms sector as a director of Vitesse Rail Com and most recently FeONIC Transport Limited where innovative solutions to passenger communication needs are being promoted within the transport industry.

Mike has detailed and comprehensive experience in the processes involved in the introduction of new passenger and freight rail services. He has particular experience of feasibility studies for new traffic flows and understands the processes surrounding environmental grants associated with the transfer of freight from road to rail. He achieved a market breakthrough in demonstrating the use of Freight Multiple Units in a prolonged trial of these vehicles for Forest Enterprise Wales in 2005. In due there is little doubt that this innovation will be reflected by widespread use of this type of freight rolling stock.

In 2008 he was appointed interim Managing Director for the Jarvis commercial freight operation where the mobilisation of a new contract to convey coal to E-on owned power stations was successfully implemented along with a review to identify future market positioning of the inter-modal services operated by Jarvis Fastline.

Mike is also a non-executive director of Assertis, which owns and operates MyTrainTicket, an independent retailer of train tickets.

Mike is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.