As work on the near-£15bn Crossrail nears completion the scheme’s chief executive Andrew Wolstenholme is stepping down at the end of this month to take up a new role in the private sector.

Programme director Simon Wright, who worked on projects for the 2012 London Olympics, will assume a combined chief executive and programme director role as the organisation puts the finishing touches to what has been one of Europe’s largest building projects, officially known as the Elizabeth Line.