The regional directors will be responsible for delivery of major renewal and enhancement projects and programmes (excluding track renewals) in their area and will also be charged with winning new work under the competitive infrastructure proposed by Network Rail. Their roles will also include liaising with route managing directors and directors, route asset management.

The appointments will become effective in April 2012, reporting to Simon Kirby, managing director, investment projects.

Simon Kirby said: “Network Rail is in the midst of a significant period of investment, with projects such as Thameslink, Crossrail and hopefully the Northern Hub providing the capacity we need to cater for the ever-increasing popularity of rail travel whilst boosting Britain’s economy.

“The changes we’re making to our business will encourage competition, innovation and closer partnerships with our suppliers to deliver projects more competitively and efficiently.”

Roles and responsibilities

Roger Dickinson will be responsible for the north, including Scotland and London North Eastern routes.

Neil Thompson will manage the central region, which covers London North Western (north), London North Western (south), and the Birmingham Gateway and King’s Cross projects.

Nick Elliott will look after the southern region, including Sussex, Kent, Wessex, Anglia and the national platform extensions project.

Robbie Burns will have responsibility for Western and Wales, including Western, Wales, Crossrail, Reading redevelopment and electrification. Reporting to Robbie, Jorge Mendonca has been appointed as programme director for Crossrail.

On 31 October 2011 Mark Southwell will join as programme director – signalling, responsible for the delivery of all major signalling projects in CP4 and thereafter. This involves programme and project management, signal project engineering and signalling design. He will also report to Simon Kirby.

Mr Southwell joins from Atkins where he was managing director of projects, looking after their signalling business. He has also worked with Metronet and Amey and started his career as a graduate with British Rail. As Patrick Hallgate is taking up his new role as route managing director for Western, John Bettles will act as programme director in the interim period until Mark joins the company.

In addition, Jim Crawford will continue in the role of programme director – Thameslink and Graham Greener will continue as programme director – GSMR/FTN – national telecoms project.

Other senior appointments are currently being reviewed and it is expected further announcements will be made during October.

City.Mobi

Also in Europe today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to London.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

London.Mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.