PHILIPPA THODE

Part of the team to develop a solution to move spectators and the workforce to the regions for the Commonwealth Games< including:

- Capacity analysis for the Victorian publci transport network under Commonwealth Games customer demand flows

- Initial development of modal solutions to move people to Games Cities

- extensive collaboration and problem solving discussions within DPT, V/Line and the Police.

• Rail Planning – Integrated Modelling Group
• The Integrated Modelling Group's key goal is to facilitate better decisions by ensuring current and future projects can effectively test their ‘fit’ into the Network; providing more robust and timely assurance of progress towards delivery of the service outcomes that ultimately realise the customer benefits of the Projects for all Victorians.
• The Group is a collaboration between the Department of Transport, Projects and Operators.
• Achievements include:
• Managed the multi-organisational team to develop baseline Victorian rail timetables for when the Metro Tunnel opens and for the configuration state before the Tunnel opens. In turn understanding and working through potential customer outcomes, trade-offs and operational outcomes.
• Fostered effective relationships within the Department, MTIA and operators to ensure they meet standards for providing evidence on the impact of their projects to Victorian rail operations. This is a key part of DPT project governance.
• Obtained future funding for the IMG over multiple years, through the government budget process.
• People management of a direct report and indirect management of the 15 person IMG technical team.

• The Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) is responsible for the removal the most dangerous and congested level crossings on the Melbourne metropolitan rail network.
• Philippa’s role was to develop solutions to program wide issues to reduce rework, time and cost of level crossing removals
• She used her policy, analysis and commercial tools to bring a new perspective to engineering issues and, in combination with strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, to ensure robust decisions are agreed and implemented. In this role she reported to the Value Engineering Manager.
• Key achievements
• Streamlined and standardized the fire and life safety analysis of new train stations to save analysis time and potentially save infrastructure costs.
• Philippa collaborated with the operator, fire and life safety experts and the Department, to develop a standard approach, underpinned by patronage forecast and punctuality data and international standards.
• Increased understanding of earthing and bonding tailored to lay people audience to increase their upfront involvement and reduce backend problems
• Sharing information and knowledge across LXRP and its alliances, including development and implementation of a continuous improvement contract mechanism and further development of the LXRP Engineering hub.

• Philippa’ s role was to develop policy and update national transport legislation, to improve safety, productivity and environmental outcomes. She was responsible for the Australian dangerous goods transport legislation and assisted with the national road rules and transport load restraint legislations. In this role Philippa reported to the Director of Reform Maintenance.
  
• Key Achievements
• Philippa managed the Australian Dangerous Goods Code and legislation update, including a long awaited improvement to the legislative rules for the transporting of select dangerous goods, which should result in up to $25 million of savings to industry per year, whilst maintaining safety levels. Philippa was able to analyse the evidence, develop and negotiate a solution that was acceptable to all stakeholders. Significant work was required with the varied and polarized stakeholders, which included all jurisdictional regulators, emergency services organisations, transport companies, chemical manufacturers and sellers to achieve this solution and eventually unanimous support by all Transport and Infrastructure Council Ministers.
• Contributed to Load Restraint Guide update
• Comparative analysis of cycling legislation in Australian jurisdictions.

Public Transport Victoria (PTV), now part of the Department of Transport of Transport and Planning led, planned, coordinated and managed the Victorian public transport network as a statutory agency within the Victorian Government

• Philippa worked with technical experts to develop a suite of technical policy documents outlining the future for the Victorian public transport network. The policies included an overarching technical policy for the Victorian public transport network and a range of supporting asset type and process policies
• These policies were prepared for audiences including government and operators at both technical and managerial levels
• Philippa reported to the General Manager Engineering.

• Saha International was a boutique consulting firm which provided policy, commercial and strategic advice to the transport and utilities industries. It had 100 consultants across Australia, New Zealand and South Africa
• Her overall responsibility was to enable clients to increase the value of their public transport services to the community through policy, commercial and contractual improvements
• Key achievements:
• Operational and commercial advisor on the MR3 refranchising process for train and tram operators. Including the development of the Customer Experience Performance Regime, Metlink Agreement and operational improvements in the franchise agreements
• Pilot Trail Manager for Transport ticketing Authority for the myki project
• Bus contractural reform advise for hte NSW Ministry of Transport.