A TRANSPORT body has appointed its first head of heavy rail.

Nexus, the passenger transport executive for Tyne and Wear, has named James Farnell-Smith for the job.

He will be key as lobbying continues for the Government to devolve more transport powers to the regions and the Coalition presses ahead with High Speed 2.

The 27-year-old joined Nexus as a graduate trainee in 2009. He previously managed the Tyne and Wear Metro’s operating contractor with German-owned operator Deutsche Bahn.

He said: “This is a new and exciting opportunity for me and I’m very much looking forward to it.”