Matt Townsend to Leave Lancashire After Two Years Leading Highways and Transport

Lancashire County Council has begun recruiting a new Director of Highways and Transport following the departure of Matt Townsend, who is leaving to take up a more senior leadership position with another local authority after two years in the role.

Lancashire County Council is searching for a new highways leader after Director of Highways and Transport Matt Townsend announced he is leaving the authority to take up a more senior position elsewhere in local government.

Townsend, who joined the council in 2024 from Capita, has overseen one of the county's largest operational portfolios, with responsibility for highways infrastructure, network management, public transport, fleet operations and integrated transport services.

The council confirmed he will leave to take up a senior leadership role with another local authority, understood to be in the South East of England.

Leading a Critical Transport Portfolio

As Director of Highways and Transport, Townsend has been responsible for managing the maintenance and development of Lancashire's extensive road network, overseeing everything from pothole repairs and resurfacing programmes to bridge maintenance, public transport services and strategic transport planning.

The role also carries responsibility for fleet services, network management and integrated transport, making it one of the county council's most significant operational leadership positions with a direct influence on economic growth, connectivity and the day-to-day movement of people and goods across Lancashire.

Recruitment Underway

The council has launched recruitment for the post, which carries a salary of up to £117,998.

According to the job advertisement, the successful candidate will oversee a substantial portfolio covering:

• Highways infrastructure

• Network management

• Integrated transport

• Fleet services

• Public transport operations

The authority says the role is central to supporting economic growth, improving connectivity and enhancing quality of life across Lancashire.

Council Thanks Outgoing Director

A Lancashire County Council spokesperson confirmed Townsend's departure and thanked him for his contribution during his time with the authority.

The spokesperson said:

"The Director of Highways and Transport will be leaving Lancashire County Council to take up a more senior leadership role with another local authority.

"We thank him for his contribution over the past two years.

"Arrangements for the services will be confirmed in due course. The salary for the post has been advertised as part of the recruitment process."

Search Begins for Successor

The recruitment process is now underway, with Lancashire County Council seeking an experienced infrastructure leader to oversee one of the largest highways and transport portfolios in local government.

The successful candidate will inherit responsibility for maintaining and developing Lancashire's extensive transport network while leading the teams responsible for delivering essential highway, transport and fleet services across the county.