Public competition for GBR HQ

THE Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that the public will be able to participate in an online vote to determine the location for the future home of Great British Railways (GBR), the successor body to Network Rail. The Government has already pledged that new headquarters will be outside London (as part of its Levelling Up agenda), and from February 4, towns and cities across the UK, particularly those with strong links to the railways, have been encouraged to put their name into the hat. The GBR Transition Team will shortlist the best applications in May, after which a public vote will help determine the winning location. Applications will be measured against six criteria including connectivity, railway heritage and public support. The DfT suggests the new GBR headquarters will be the heart of the rail network and provide strategic direction for the running of Great British Railways.