The new role will to be to oversee and integrate all elements of phase one, working alongside a new chief executive replacement for Mark Thurston when appointed in the Spring.

The role has been created taking a lesson from Crossrail where the importance of a single controlling mind for the programme overall, rather than working through individual lines, was key to the later delivery.

Head has worked in the UK construction and railway industry since 2004 specialising in health and safety spending seven years at Barhale and Morgan Sindall before joining Network Rail then HS2.

She has contributed to major railway engineering schemes, including the West Coast route modernisation and London’s Crossrail project.

She joined HS2 as a member of the executive team back in August 2015.