New traffic commissioner appointed for the West Midlands

The transport secretary, Mark Harper, has appointed Miles Dorrington as the new traffic commissioner for the West Midlands.

Dorrington has been acting traffic commissioner in the West Midlands since the retirement of his predecessor, Nick Denton, in June 2022.

Senior traffic commissioner, Richard Turfitt, said: “I am delighted that Miles has been appointed as a permanent member to the traffic commissioner team.

“He brings with him significant experience of this jurisdiction from many years as a deputy traffic commissioner, and as a tribunal judge in other jurisdictions.”

In addition, two new deputy traffic commissioners have been appointed to support the traffic commissioners.

Catherine Moxon and Dr Paul Stookes come into the role with valuable legal experience, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.

Moxon is a barrister with experience in both criminal and civil practice. She now specialises in regulatory law.

She sits in the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service and chairs the School Admission and School Exclusion Panels.

Stookes is a solicitor-advocate with more than 25 years’ experience in public, civil and criminal law.

He works as a law and policy advisor to the UK Environmental Law Association, and is a lead assessor for the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment full membership programme.

Moxon will be deployed in the north of England and Stookes in the Southeast of England.

Turfitt said: “Catherine and Paul will strengthen the team of full time and part time commissioners, providing invaluable support and experience. I genuinely look forward to working with them.”

Traffic commissioners are responsible for the licensing and regulation of bus, coach and goods vehicle operators, and registration of local bus services. 

Where appropriate, they can call operators to a public inquiry to examine concerns about vehicle and driver safety.

They also deal with professional drivers at conduct hearings.