Transport workers recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours

14 June 2014
  • Amy Nicholson honoured for bravery shown during events in Woolwich on 22 May 2013
  • Mark Mackenzie honoured for services to Equality  

Two Transport for London (TfL) employees have been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

One has been recognised for her selfless act during the horrific Woolwich murder in 2013 and one for his contribution to the way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered people are treated whilst working on or travelling on London's transport network.  

Mark has been awarded an MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) and Amy has been awarded a BEM (British Empire Medal).  

Sir Peter Hendy CBE, London's Transport Commissioner, said: "I would like to congratulate Amy and Mark on this special recognition. It is well deserved and demonstrates the commitment and passion our staff have for each other and the communities they serve each day."  

Amy Nicholson BEM, a Revenue Protection Inspector, demonstrated her bravery, passion and commitment to TfL and the local community during the incident in Woolwich on 22 May 2013.

Amy had just finished her shift and was on her way home when traffic, including the bus she was on, came to a standstill with her bus stopped next to the Royal Artillery Barracks.   Amy made contact with the TfL control room to understand more about the incident and was told there were two individuals armed with knives and guns, it was a highly dangerous situation and she was advised she should leave the area immediately.   However, seeing that other bus passengers were all leaving the buses and there was no one stopping them from heading towards the trouble, Amy bravely and selflessly took control of the situation. She liaised with bus staff in the area and kept passengers calm. She ensured all buses were evacuated and then led passengers to safety beyond the police cordon.  

Mark Mackenzie MBE, a HR specialist at TfL, has made a huge contribution to the way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT+) staff are treated as well as the wider LGBT+ community when they are travelling on London's transport network.  

Mark is a founding member of TfL's staff network group for LGBT+ staff and, as past chair of the group, led support for Pride in London. During the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, he worked as a Travel Ambassador and has been a champion within TfL for London's bid to host the 2018 Gay Games.   Mark is also a representative for OutWest, the support group for the LGBT+ community in west London. He has led work with British Transport Police to reduce hate crime on public transport. This led to a Hate Crime Best Practice Guide for the force and to the monitoring and reporting of hate crime across TfL's transport networks.

  • Amy Nicholson is 29 years old and lives in Woolwich
  • Mark Mackenzie is 38 years old and lives in Vauxhall, London. He is originally from Nairn in the Scottish Highlands.