Nick is currently the company’s executive director of operations and joined Highways England in 2016. In recent years he has been responsible for maintenance, the work of traffic officers and has introduced new ways of working with the supply chain. A civil engineer, Nick previously worked in the water industry in the UK and overseas.

RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said the acting chief executive will be “inheriting a massive programme that the Government is clearly expecting to proceed” including the delivery of commitments as part of the second Road Investment Period.

Steve added that with the ongoing lockdown measures due to the pandemic leading to a fall in traffic, “he is probably arriving at a time when there is an opportunity to get more done – subject to the weather”.

He also commented that outgoing chief executive Jim O’Sullivan is “handing over the tiller of a ship that is in good health”.

Highways England’s chair Dipesh Shah said in a statement he is confident that Nick Harris will “build on the work we have all done since 2015 to make Highways England the successful organisation it is today”.

Dipesh added: “I'd like to thank Jim O’Sullivan for all he has achieved at Highways England. He leaves behind a reputation for delivery that is on time and on budget as well as improvements in the culture of customer service and safety that runs through everything we do.”

Nick Harris said: “I'm delighted to be taking over, as we move into the second year of our second roads programme.”

Nick will be in place until the recruitment process to find a permanent successor to Jim O’Sullivan is complete.

(Photographs: Highways England)