City could be HQ for Great British Railways
Birmingham on shortlist for major new transport body
BIRMINGHAM has been named among six towns and cities to make the shortlist to host the headquarters of a new body that will run the UK’s railways.
It joins Crewe, Derby, Doncaster, Newcastle and York from a group of 42 applicants bidding to become the new home of Great British Railways.
Its creation was first announced last year as part of reforms of the rail system which the Government hopes will remove the current fragmentation in the system.
Included in the Queen’s Speech in May, the aim is for the organisation to simplify the rail network and improve services for passengers by absorbing the state-owned infrastructure management company Network Rail and take on many functions from the Department for Transport.
Great British Railways will also issue passenger service contracts to private companies to run trains.
Alongside the central headquarters, there will also be regional headquarters across the country.
Applications were measured against six key criteria related to issues such as levelling up objectives, connectivity, railway heritage and value for money.
A public vote will now help determine which of the six locations is chosen to have the HQ which is expected to bring and create hundreds of jobs to the winning town or city.
West Midlands leaders have issued a rallying cry to the region to get behind Birmingham’s bid, hoping that its central location and young population will win the judges’ favour.
Mayor Andy Street said: “Birmingham combines a unique rail heritage with an unparalleled concentration of modern expertise that means we are ideally suited to shape the next century of railway excellence.
“A Birmingham base would put Great British Railways at the heart of the nation’s rail network and close to its customers – with 94 million rail journeys made here in the region each year.
“Birmingham as well as the wider West Midlands is already at the forefront of innovation in transport design, policy, planning, technology and engineering – thanks in part to our central role in flagship projects like HS2 and very light rail.
“This means we are blessed with a wealth of talent to draw on as we look ahead to the future of the railways and a wonderful chance to bring jobs, civic pride and economic opportunity for our local residents.” Birmingham City Council leader Cllr Ian Ward added: “More and more major investors and organisations are choosing to relocate in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands because this region is well-connected, has quality office space and offers a great quality of life.
“Great British Railways would receive a warm welcome here and, as Europe’s youngest and most diverse city with a deep and diverse pool of talent, this city is in a unique position to help create a railway that’s both inclusive and fit for the future.
“This would also be great for our city, bringing jobs, supporting our local businesses and pulling in even more investment which is why I strongly encourage people to get behind the city’s bid and show your support.”
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Our world-leading railways have served this country well for 200 years and this is a huge step in the reforms which will shape our network for the next 200.
“Great British Railways will create a truly sustainable, modern and fair railway network for passengers and freight customers.
“I’m calling on people across the country to play a key part in this once-in-a-generation reform and vote for the new home of our railways.”