Caroline writes for the Womanthology website on the changing face of transport policy and the importance of seeing the world from the viewpoint of women as well as men.
When most people think of the transport industry their immediate image is of a very male dominated world. From train drivers and leaders of their unions through to the senior management of train companies, the common factor is male dominance.
The same also applies to the world of engineers. Everyone has of course heard of Brunel, however how many people can think of a famous female civil engineer?
Yet as a London Assembly Member and Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee I have never accepted that anything relating to transport should be treated as a male preserve.
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The transport industry is a large employer and the need to recruit from the widest range of talent has never been more important. No schoolgirl or young woman should feel they are excluded from considering a career in any sector or profession within the transport industry.
The running of transport services and the development of transport policy is simply too important to be left just to men.