The UK government has announced that the headquarters of the new Great British Railways (GBR) will be located in Derby.
Derby was one of the locations on the shortlist, along with Birmingham, Crewe, Doncaster, Newcastle and York, following the application by 42 towns.
The government said it made the decision via a “rigorous assessment process” and the public vote. Reasons cited for choosing Derby were: strong links to the wider network, well-established connections with the industry, supply chain and customers, and an extensive local cluster of private sector rail businesses.
Although the headquarters will be in Derby, other towns and cities will become regional GBR hubs, which will have local decision-making and investment powers.
“Rail heritage is at the heart of our city and for this to be recognised by government is a fantastic achievement. The investment we'll see from this significant move will be huge, not only just for Derby but for levelling up across the whole of the wider East Midlands.
“We have a rich history of being the only city in the UK to have manufactured rolling stock continuously since 1840, so I'm thrilled that Derby's heritage is being recognised in this defining way. We can't wait to see what this momentous move will mean for Derby and its citizens in the future.”
The GBR Transition Team will now work with Derby to find the right site in the city for the new headquarters.
The aim of Great British Railways is to be locally led and to make use of the private sector locally, regionally and nationally. GBR also aims to bring track and train together.
“Great British Railways will put the passenger first, promoting collaboration and innovation across a joined-up, efficient and modern network.”
Mark Harper set out the government’s long-term goal for the railway in Britain in his George Bradshaw Address.
