Co-Director, Local Transport, Department for Transport

Policy Fellow Alum, Centre for Science and Policy

Jessica Matthew is Co-Director, Local Transport at the Department for Transport, a joint role with another full time Director, leading policy, funding, delivery, statistics, economic appraisal and digital projects on local transport, including: buses; cycling; walking; local roads and infrastructure; local transport policy; accessibility and equalities.

Previously, Jessica was Deputy Director for Road User Licensing, Insurance and Safety at the Department for Transport. In other words, her role wass all about what central government can and should be doing to make the roads safer and advising Ministers accordingly. She oversaw new legislation and technology on drug driving, led changes to the criminal justice system over drink driving, devised young driver policy (balancing considerations of personal freedom and responsibility and safety on the roads), and supervised the Government’s response to both infraction proceedings by the European Commission and adverse court judgements on driving licensing rules and insurance.

Prior to this, she held numerous positions in the Department for Transport and what is now called the Department for Communities and Local Government. These have included responsibility for sustainable travel and for boosting the economic growth for cities. She was also once private secretary to Chris Mullin MP, and therefore appears in his published diaries A View from the Foothills.