Network Rail has announced a string of new appointments as part of its evolution to devolve further into 13 routes, supported by five regions.

Chief executive Andrew Haines promises the appointments will drive focus on what matters most to customers – "a more punctual, reliable and efficient railway".

Five new regional managing directors have joined the company: Alex Hynes for Scotland's Railway; John Halsall for Southern; Mark Langman for Wales and Western; Rob McIntosh for Eastern; and Tim Shoveller for North West and Central.

Along with major regional appointments, the firm also announced Martin Frobisher as the new group engineering director and Nick King as the group director for network services.

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Six other current positions complete Andrew Haines new executive leadership team:

• Alison Rumsey – group HR director*

• Becky Lumlock – group transformation director

• Caroline Murdoch – group communications director

• Jeremy Westlake – chief financial officer

• Jo Kaye – managing director system operator

• Susan Cooklin – managing director route services.

Andrew Haines added: "These are big roles with hefty responsibilities that will deliver on our plans to put the passenger and freight user at the heart of Network Rail. Deeper devolution is key to our future success giving us the tools, capability and authority to deliver for passengers, customers and funders.

"It will streamline decision-making, give autonomy and help us to work hand-in-glove with operators. Decisions are best taken by people who have direct line of sight to the full consequences of those decisions and these new roles deliver just that."

The new five regions, and their managing directors, will start on 24 June.

(CM/MH)