Permanent team sought for Transport for London

Transport for London (TfL) is hiring its first permanent media

relations team.

TfL head of media relations Lesley McLeod, appointed earlier this month,

is on the hunt for six PROs.

A temporary team has been in place since the TfL was set up last

year.

The head of media relations role was being covered by consultant Chris

Bailey.

One of the new staff members McLeod wants to recruit is a

strategic-planning expert to handle long-term PR issues.

McLeod reports directly to transport commissioner Bob Kiley and is

liaising with London Mayor Ken Livingstone's press office.

McLeod said: 'Having the media relations head report directly to the

commissioner was something he (Kiley) wanted, to speed up the

process.'

McLeod was previously head of news at the Department for Culture, Media

and Sport. Before joining the DCMS last year she was chief press officer

at the then DETR.

The DCMS is looking to replace McLeod, having postponed the hunt until

after the general election.

At TfL, McLeod works alongside communications director Colin Douglas,

who joined earlier this month from Sport England.

He replaces Government Office for London director Liz Meek, who held the

post temporarily on secondment.

Kiley was last month appointed chairman of London Transport, with

responsibility for handling the part-privatisation of London

Underground.

High Court proceedings brought by Ken Livingstone will begin on 23 July

in a bid to halt the part-privatisation.