Meet the team
We asked Alex Barlow about his role in the Infrastructure team, and found out a bit about his interests outside of work.
What was your background before joining WYCA?
Before WYCA I worked for Leeds City Council at the Gateway Yorkshire Tourist Information Centre. I originally did a BTEC National Diploma in Travel and Tourism and then BTEC HND in Business and Finance at York College. I joined Metro in 2006 and moved to my current role in the Infrastructure team in 2009 as Infrastructure Area Assistant.
What is a typical day at WYCA like for you?
In my job, I spend almost as much time out of the office as in it so my days are varied and can include: meetings with local authorities, utility companies and bus companies discussing road closures and diversions; site visits to look at roadworks, or to look at bus stop relocation requests; meeting councillors, council officers and members of the public to discuss bus stop locations; preparing bus stop passenger notices and diversion information during road closures and events for MetroLine, Travel Centres etc. Also, updating the road closure PDFs, keeping MetroLine, PR and Travel Centres up to date and dealing with an ever growing customer enquiries inbox.
What keeps you motivated to come to work each day?
I genuinely enjoy my job. I work with some lovely people both in WYCA and outside WYCA and I like the variety that the job provides. It can be frustrating when you can’t always provide everything customers want such as shelters at their particular bus stop but most of the time it is rewarding when we can do something positive for the community.
Outside of the office, how do you spend your free time?
Besides enjoying spending time with my family and pets, I help run a folk club, Black Joak Folk, on the last Friday of the month in Marsden. I’m a keen walker, I live surrounded by fantastic countryside and enjoy getting out and about in the hills; I’m secretary of the Huddersfield Branch of Campaign for Real Ale; we have an allotment and I try to spend as much time on it as I can; I’m a member of the Labour Party and I’m a member of Saddleworth Morris Men, we dance the North West Morris tradition.
What three objects would you take with you if you were stranded on a desert island?
In true Desert Island Discs style (I’m also a fan of Radio 4!) – my choice of book would be Michael Foot’s biography of Aneurin Bevan; piece of music would be Thomas the Rhymer by Steeleye Span. The luxury item is a bit more tricky, it would have to be either Green and Black’s Maya Gold chocolate or Marble Brewery’s Lagonda IPA...I think I’ll choose the beer!