Richard Harper

Director
Richard Harper
Profile

Richard is a Director at Steer and a respected industry leader with over 30 years’ experience driving change through collaboration. He delivers value for shareholders, public bodies and Authorities through developing, contracting, sponsoring and delivering complex change projects in the railway industry. His skills in assessing risks and blockers, alongside his strengths in communicating and negotiating, unlock solutions across industry interfaces.

At Steer, Richard leads a portfolio of rail projects. They include the award winning Manchester Recovery Task Force, which Richard has led since its inception three years ago, delivering high-performance solutions to the problems of May 2018’s timetable and unlocking DfT funding for a programme of incremental investment. Richard leads on operations and end state for DfT’s Project Representative team for HS2, delivering critical programme-wide assurance. He has directed operations, performance, service change and reform projects for Network Rail, DfT and operators.

Richard joined Steer after 17 years working for train operators and TOC owning groups. He gained extensive rail bidding experience in leadership roles, including Bid Director for Wales & Borders, and leading timetable and rolling stock teams for the successful Northern and London Overground bids in 2014/15. Richard was a key member of Chiltern Railways’ business development team, promoting and delivering the unique Evergreen enhancements, including the Oxford line.

Articles and insights by this expert

03 Feb 2021

Steer appointed to work with Network Rail’s North West and Central Region

A year ago, Steer began a significant new commission to help Network Rail’s North West and Central Region, jointly with Department for Transport (DfT) to develop solutions to poor operational performance in Birmingham and Manchester. At the time, none of us could have foreseen what was to come, in the shape of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on UK Rail.

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26 May 2020

Manchester's rail problem

The May 2018 timetable exposed a variety of failings in UK rail, particularly in Manchester. Supported by Steer, the Manchester Recovery Task Force was established in January 2020, to assess short-term solutions to Manchester's rail problems as well as developing a long-term vision.

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We are Steer

Yes, you are in the right place. After 40 years, we have changed our name from Steer Davies Gleave to mark our growing international footprint and our expanding portfolio into markets beyond transportation.

Explore our new website to learn more about Steer: who we are, how we work and what our future holds.