Martin is a transport economist specialising in public transport. With over 40 years experience in both the UK and overseas in the public and private sectors in road, rail and water transport management, operations, planning, research and consultancy. Martin has successfully operated his own independent business, Martin Higginson Transport Research and Consultancy since it was founded March 2005. Martin is also a Visiting Researcher at the Transport Operations Research Group, University of Newcastle upon Tyne and an Associate of the Institute of Railway Studies and Transport History, York University and the National Railway Museum.

Business has included heavy and light rail, bus and coach policies, planning and technology, bus-rail integration, regional strategy, competition and franchising, operational and economic performance monitoring, service enhancement, route re-openings and historical development, working with consultancies and universities, European institutions and other Independent Rail Consultancy Group (IRCG) members. Previous appointments include Principal Transport Planner, Corus Rail; Head of Public Transport, Transport Research Laboratory; Economic Adviser Confederation of Passenger Transport UK; London Transport Senior Lecturer, University of London; coach and road freight management; international and domestic passenger and freight with British Rail. Other languages include good spoken and written German and French, and qualifications include a PhD in transport and a BA Business Studies (Transport).

Martin Higginson has experience of working overseas in countries such as Central Europe, Eastern and Western Europe, Poland, Russia as well as many years working with British Rail in the United Kingdom. Martin is a UK representative for the International Public Transport Association (UITP), Transport Economics Commission (TEC) and Transport Economists Group (TEG) as well as being a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and the Independent Rail Consultancy Group (IRCG).

Martin's signature projects include: LINK European Forum for Intermodal Travel UK/Ireland National Focus Point, Passenger European Commission 2009-10; World Bank, for Ministry of Roads, Transport and Bridges, Sudan and Sudan Railways Corporation, with David Coughtrie Associates, 2009: Options for Enhancing Private Sector Participation in the Provision of Rail Operations in Sudan; North East Assembly, 2007, with Independent Rail Consultancy Group (IRCG): Morpeth – Bedlington Rail Service Feasibility Study; European Commission, 2006-07, with Interfleet Technology: The impact of possible technical harmonisation initiatives addressing the urban rail sector; and consulting for the Rail Safety and Standards Board, 2006, with JMP Consulting: Good practice in station adoption schemes.

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