Higgins, who is also the former chief executive of English Partnerships and Lend Lease, will be formally voted into the role by Network Rail members at the company’s annual general meeting in July.

Rick Haythornthwaite, the chairman of Network Rail, said: "David brings a host of skills, experience and expertise with them that will be of great value to the company as it faces the challenges of the next five years and beyond."

John Armitt, the chairman of the ODA, was formely the chief executive at Network Rail, the not-for-dividend company which owns, maintains, and runs the railway infrastructure in the UK.

Armitt held the position from 2001 until 2007 before taking over at the ODA.