Sir Brian Briscoe is to be the new chair of HS2, the company established by the government to advise on the development of high-speed rail services between London and Scotland. He will take up the appointment in February and succeeds Sir David Rowlands, who steps down next month.

Sir Brian joined the HS2 Board in February 2009 as a non-executive director and has previously held the posts of chief executive of the Local Government Association and chair of the Independent Transport Commissions for Cambridge and Reading, as well as sitting on the Boards of Visit England and the Town and Country Planning Association. Transport secretary Andrew Adonis said: "This is an exciting time to be involved in the development of high-speed rail in the UK, which I firmly believe can transform transport in this country for the better. It has real potential to regenerate and reinvigorate."

HS2's report was delivered to the government in December 2009. It presents a detailed route plan for the first stage of a north-south high-speed line, from London to the West Midlands, as well as options for extending high-speed services, and high speed lines, to destinations further north, including the North West, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland.