Derby chosen as the HQ for Great British railways!
New Headquarters Decision. Destination: Derby
Isoblue is based in Derby. The connections between the Rail Industry and the city of Derby are profound. We share a strong local feeling of pride for the Rail Industry.
Derby has been given a huge economic boost after being named as the new headquarters of Great British Railways (GBR).
The Department for Transport has confirmed that the city has beaten off competition from locations around the country, including Birmingham, Newcastle and York, to be selected as the home of Britain’s rail network.
It follows a concerted campaign by the city to win GBR called Destination Derby, which was backed by the public, businesses and politicians, not just from Derby and Derbyshire, but across the region.
Councillor Chris Poulter, leader of Derby City Council, which led the bid, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled that Derby has been selected to become the new home of Great British railways.
“This result is a testament to the hard work of our team, alongside our key rail and city partners based across Derby – we couldn’t have done it without them.”
John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, which played a role in Derby’s campaign, said: “This is wonderful news. We always felt that Derby would be the right decision for GBR but were never complacent.
“I have no doubt that the city will provide the perfect platform from which GBR can operate successfully.”
Background
“Britain’s railways are embarking on a major, once in a generation reform that will transform the way in which the sector works, bringing together track and train to deliver a simpler, better railway for everyone.
A commitment to establish Great British Railways was made in May 2021 as part of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, focused on delivering a truly passenger-focused railway. It will serve as a single, accountable public body responsible for running Britain’s railways.
As a new organisation, with a new culture, focused on serving the interests of everyone in Britain, Great British Railways will need a new national headquarters.
In October 2021, the Secretary of State for Transport announced that a competition will take place to find a location for the headquarters outside of London.
The competition aims to identify a place with a rich railway heritage, strong links to the national network and significant public support, while creating a great opportunity to promote the location as the proud home for the start of a new era in Britain’s railways.
The Great British Railways national headquarters selection process is being run by the Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT) on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT).
Please use the hashtag #DestinationGBR when talking about the competition online.”
Derby Railway Station by Ashley Dace, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons