OBE for Transport for London’s Dana Skelley

Dana Skelley, Transport for London’s (TfL’s) director of asset management for surface transport, has been recognised with an OBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list for services to transport in London.

The first woman ever to be named Surveyor/ICE Municipals ‘Engineer of the Year’, Skelley leads a team of around 500 engineers and asset managers. They are responsible for more than £15bn of infrastructure including, maintaining London’s arterial roads, all 6,200 traffic lights, around 1,800 bridges, 12 tunnels and more than 1,000 miles of footway.

She said: “It’s an immense privilege to receive this honour, which I hope will encourage more women to consider a career in transport, including engineering.

“Women are increasingly playing an important role in major projects across London, and with more companies now offering young people apprentice and graduate opportunities, together we can help ensure the Capital continues to grow and prosper.”

In recent years, Skelley has overseen a range of major engineering schemes as part of TfL’s continuing £4bn road modernisation plan. These include strengthening the Hammersmith flyover and the implementation of the Olympic Route Network for the London 2012 Games.

London’s Transport Commissioner, Mike Brown, said: “I’m delighted that Dana has been recognised with this New Year’s honour.

“In the fifteen years she has been at TfL, as well as being an exceptional engineer, she has also been a true ambassador for promoting equality and helping hundreds of female graduates and apprentices to get their first step on the engineering ladder.

“With the capital’s population continuing to grow, the work that Dana and her team do day and night to keep our roads safe for all road users will become even more important as we continue to support the economic growth of London and the UK.”

In the coming years, her team will also help to deliver the new Silvertown crossing in east London, which will help reduce congestion from nearby Blackwall Tunnel.

She has also been a driving force behind the 100 Years of Women in Transport campaign, which celebrates the role of women in the industry.

 Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "Dana has an outstanding track record and this recognition for her sterling work to improve transport in London is well deserved.

“Her integrity, dedication and professionalism are well known in the industry and our city has benefitted hugely from this during her time at TfL.  

“It is people like Dana who will be essential in helping London respond to the challenge of growth as the city develops."