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Top man starts top job at Railtrack's major stations
date 21 May 1997 source Railtrack plc type Press release
The man who helped to guide Manchester Airport to become the 'best airport in the world' has joined Railtrack with the aim to make the stations places that people see as setting the standard for all service industries.
Paul Connellan's new role as general manager, major stations, includes responsibility for all operations, developments and commercial activities on the station.
He said, " I see this as one of the most exciting challenges in transport today. Railtrack is committed to spending hundreds of millions of pounds on its stations which are an integral part of the journey and must offer the passenger the range of services and level of comfort which they get in other modes of transport.
"The commercial opportunities are almost limitless. We will extensively expand the range of retail activities and add to these a wide range of other services ranging from walk-in medical centres to fully serviced offices and conference facilities. The number of people using stations makes them a very attractive venue for a wide range of shops and services.
"Passengers will judge us on the total station experience. We have already started on a customer training programme which will involve everybody who is part of that experience. Our aim is to make Railtrack stations places that people see as setting the standard for all service industries."
Mr Connellan has spent all his working life in the travel and transport industry, with seven years at Manchester Airport and previous positions in the Middle East and in the tour operating and air charter industry. His wife is a senior manager with the Health Executive and he has two teenage daughters.
Railtrack owns all of Britain's 2,500 stations but retains management responsibility for 14 of the country's biggest and busiest stations, Railtrack's major stations. The remaining stations are managed on a day-to-day basis by the various train operating companies.
