RAC hires Red Ken’s boot boy

Motorists champion is also adviser to London Mayor Ken Livingstone

Auto Express Car Reviews

02nd May 2008

One of motoring’s biggest campaign groups has a new chief. But the man championing their cause is currently working for car-hating Ken Livingstone!

The RAC Foundation named its new director as Stephen Glaister, an economic advisor for Transport for London. But its members are appointed by London Mayor Livingstone – the man behind congestion charging and CO2-based road tax bands.

New motoring mouthpiece Glaister, also a Professor of Transport and Infrastructure at Imperial College London, refused to comment on any of these unpopular policies, however – despite being among the biggest bugbears for UK drivers.

He said: “I want to wait until the mayoral election on 1 May is over before commenting on Livingstone’s policies.” Glaister, who replaces the AA’s recently appointed president Edmund King, doesn’t join the RAC Foundation until September. In the meantime, his TfL board duties will go on hold until the election is over, but he could then be reappointed.

With academic links, experience in writing on transport issues, plus the seats he holds on a number of influential transport boards and committees, Glaister could add extra clout to RAC campaigns.

The Foundation’s Chairman David Holmes called him “the top transport economist in the country”. At the head of Glaister’s agenda is climate change. He said: “A committee has been assembled to advise the Government on the subject. It’s essential we ensure its advice treats the responsible motorist fairly.”