Heathrow Airport's former chief executive Colin Matthews has been appointed as non executive chairman of the Highways Agency. He will begin his new role at the beginning of September.

Mr Matthews (pictured far left) takes over from Alan Cook who had been in post for three years and whose review of the strategic roads network in November 2011 paved the way for the Agency's ongoing transition into a Government owned company.

An engineer by trade, Mr Matthews has worked in a variety of senior management roles for British Airways, Seven Trent Water and the British Airports Authority.

"I am delighted to be taking up the chair of the Highways Agency," Mr Matthews said. "Roads matter to drivers and the economy. My focus will be on making them work better.

"Long term stable investment will mean that all road users will be better able to get to their destination safely and quickly."

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said that Colin Matthews' strong business record will give the new strategic highways company the leadership and focus on customer service it needs.

In other news highway specialist Andrew Boyle (pictured right) has been appointed as chairman of the World Road Association's UK national committee (WRA UK). He takes over from predecessor Joe Burns and will serve a four year term.

“It is with great pleasure and some trepidation that I take on this important role," said Andrew. “I take over a robust organisation from Joe, but there remains much to do to raise the profile of WRA and to return the UK to the forefront of best practice in technical excellence."

His predecessor Joe Burns added: “I look forward to the fresh ideas and leadership that Andrew will bring and commit to ongoing service to the Association in my capacity as immediate past chairman."

Andrew Boyle has extensive experience of motorway construction and bridge design and worked for both the Department for Transport and Highways Agency. At the Agency he was responsible in turn for the management of trunk roads, motorway maintenance, project management of major schemes and the procurement and development of software for network management. He then served as the head of its engineering policy division.

Andrew has since set up his own consultancy and has worked on projects including a specification for tolled motorways in Poland and advising the UK's Department for Transport on street works issues.

The World Road Association was founded in Paris over 100 years ago and is a knowledge sharing network involving 120 government members worldwide. The next WRA UK Annual Congress will take place on 5 November in Belfast on the subject of transport resilience.

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