The government believes its High Speed 2 (HS2) rail plans will benefit greatly from the input of Lord Deighton, who was the former boss of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).

He will lead a taskforce that will maximise the economic benefits of the super-fast rail network, which includes job creation.

The HS2 project has caused controversy, with opposition to the scheme appearing to grow by the day. The public are primarily worried about the cost of the huge development, with many people believing the money could be better spent elsewhere. Significant environmental concerns have been raised too.

However, the government is adamant the line - which will slash journey times between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds - will be hugely beneficial to the economy and transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin thinks Lord Deighton is the perfect man to maximise the potential of the project.

"HS2 provides a once in a generation opportunity to drive growth, generate jobs and secure our country's future prosperity," Mr McLoughlin remarked.