A HIT-squad of ministers to tackle problems facing Britain's transport system has been unveiled by Stephen Byers, Secretary of State for the newly-formed Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

John Spellar, MP for Warley, West Midlands is the new Transport Minister - supported by David Jamieson, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State with responsibility for a wide range of areas, including roads, road safety, transport in London, Highways Agency and Driver and Vehicle Operators' Agencies, vehicle safety and environment, European policy, along with science and technology policy. Nick Raynsford, MP for Greenwich & Woolwich becomes Minister for Local Government and the Regions. He is also the Minister for London, while other responsibilities include electoral law, fire, health and safety. Their appointments are the latest step by Labour to fulfil its promise of delivering on transport if it was awarded a second term in office.

Lord Whitty of Camberwell, who previously had responsibility for road safety and led a long-running campaign calling for fleets to focus on safety levels has been appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the new Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Last week, fleets issued Byers with a series of transport and fleet-related challenges as he settled into his new role at the DTLR, with a key message to restore stability to the industry after a series of upheavals.

Byers was Trade and Industry Secretary when it launched the Supply of New Cars Order 2000, the source of much of the upheaval in the motor industry.