Richard Turfitt, Traffic Commissioner for the East of England and former Senior Traffic Commissioner, has been appointed OBE in the King’s New Year Honours 2026 for services to road safety and justice. The Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain confirmed the award on 2 January 2026.
Mr Turfitt served as Senior Traffic Commissioner from June 2017 to May 2025 and has held the East of England brief since May 2008. He has also been Acting Traffic Commissioner for Scotland since 1 April 2025, providing continuity while recruitment for a permanent post proceeds.
According to the official announcement, his tenure included continuity of hearings during EU exit and the pandemic, backed by swift adoption of digital processes and virtual proceedings across licensing and regulatory casework. Remote and hybrid hearings remain available at a commissioner’s discretion, with parameters set out in the case management statutory document.
The period also saw significant development of the Senior Traffic Commissioner’s statutory guidance and directions, which set operational expectations for operator licensing, tribunal practice and decision publication. The collection was updated on 31 March 2025, including Document 0 (introduction and deployment protocol) and Document 10 on decision‑making and proportionality.
For context, the Senior Traffic Commissioner is appointed under section 4A of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 and may issue guidance and general directions under section 4C. In Scotland, those powers apply only to reserved matters.
On collaboration, the commissioners’ Service Level Agreement with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency sets out DVSA’s role as the main enforcing authority and provider of staff and evidence to the Office of the Traffic Commissioner, while preserving the commissioners’ independence. The 2024/25 annual report records plans to align DVSA measures with PSV licensing and tribunal listing metrics.
Leadership passed to Kevin Rooney on 1 June 2025. The Department for Transport’s appointment notice highlighted Mr Turfitt’s contribution to guidance on ECMT permits following EU exit and to continuity through Covid‑19.
For operators and transport managers, the message is stability with clearer signposting: follow the statutory documents when planning licence applications and compliance, expect commissioners to use remote or hybrid hearings where suitable, and comply with case management directions on witness attendance and evidence for any remote testimony.
Current Senior Traffic Commissioner Kevin Rooney said Mr Turfitt set a benchmark for fairness and public safety-a view echoed by industry. The Road Haulage Association also congratulated him following publication of the 2026 list.