Sustrans makes two director appointments

Sustrans has made two senior appointments.

Clare Maltby has been appointed as England director for the Midlands and East region, following a period as the interim director, and James Austin takes up the post of London director.

Maltby, who succeeds Matt Easter, joined Sustrans in October 2017 as the region’s head of delivery. During that time she led a team of 40 staff delivering a range of projects in schools and communities across the region.

Prior to that, she worked at the Department of Energy and Climate Change where she played a key role in the delivery of over 20 projects in support of meeting the Government’s 2020 renewable electricity target. The Nottingham-born Cambridge graduate also served as a specialist advisor to the Transport Select Committee in Parliament.

At Sustrans, Maltby will focus on moving forward the Paths for Everyone project to improve the National Cycle Network. She will also oversee work with local authorities in the region to make street changes, which were made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, permanent, as part of the liveable cities and towns agenda.

She said: “Sustrans brings together my longstanding interest in both environment and transport policy, so it’s a real honour to be heading up such an amazing team. Active travel has far-reaching benefits to people’s health, the environment, to communities and neighbourhoods. The pandemic has pushed walking and cycling into the spotlight and allowed people to experience alternative ways of travelling and using urban space. I’m excited to be working with partners to secure long-lasting change, by offering the solutions that people need.”

Austin, taking up the post of London director, is an experienced leader and has worked with a wide range of stakeholders in a career that has spanned over 15 years. As well as his recent leadership role at Macmillan Cancer Support, his previous positions include being a commissioner for the NHS.

Austin joins Sustrans at a pivotal moment as the COVID-19 pandemic shines a spotlight on the relationship between public health and travel. He’ll be leading Sustrans’ work with partners across the capital to create streets that provide space for people to walk and cycle safely, and supporting the delivery of Transport for London’s Healthy Streets programme in all London Boroughs.

He said: “I am delighted to join Sustrans and to work with partners across the capital. I am passionate about London, its potential and its people. We are on the cusp of becoming a healthier, more connected and cleaner city. This is a chance for us to work together to bring about major changes to how we use street space in the capital that will benefit all Londoners, not just now, but for decades to come.”

Both will report to Matt Winfield, England director.