Posted 7th February 2022 | 4 Comments

GBR headquarters competition heats up

GBR headquarters competition heats up

The contest to be the host town or city for the future headquarters of Great British Railways is warming up, after the competition was formally launched just before the weekend. A new candidate has emerged, with Barrow now joining Derby, Doncaster, Milton Keynes and York. A Bill to create Great British Railways is expected to be lodged in Parliament before the summer recess, and it could take over responsibility for the nation's railways in 2023.

More BAME and female recruits join Govia Thameslink

The number of apprentices recruited by Govia Thameslink Railway last year exceeded a target of 200 by almost 20 per cent, the operator has said. More than a third of new recruits this year were women (34 per cent) while 27 per cent were Black and Minority Ethnic. GTR apprenticeship specialist David Jackson said: 'Working in rail provides an opportunity for people of all ages to invigorate their careers in an industry which provides first class training and long-term job prospects.'

Reader Comments:

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  • R Branston, Nesstun, Vestland

    Birmingham, or maybe Manchester... ideal place would be a new office built on Manchester's Mayfield development.

    All those other towns are poorly connected with much of the UK and too far out.

    Some of the towns suggested come close to

  • Greg T, London

    NOT Milton Keynes
    NOR Barrow
    Wherever it is, it must have good rail links to everywhere - so York & Derby are good choices - as would Birmingham or Manchester, probably.

  • Michael T., Reading

    The most logical choice for the GBR HQ is Reading in Berkshire. It is outside of London, outside the M25, and has rail connections to everywhere in the GB. The local work force is already highly educated and highly skilled. Reading is a short distance from Central London - it is quicker to get into Central London from Reading than from any station in Zone three of the Tube! When meeting with the Captains of Finance in the City and Canary Wharf, it is possible to go to a meeting in the morning, back to office, return to meeting or another meeting in the afternoon, and still be able to be back in Reading before COB (close of business) for the day.
    With the GBR HQ in Reading, it would be a benefit to Reading but also to all who use railways for transport. The Western Access to LHR would be built. It could be built in a few months (weeks if were in China). The railway between Reading and LHR would finally be 25kv OHLE and track upgrades to make the journey 20 minutes. Using the spur at Old Oak Common, the is the potential for several trains per hour to Luton and Stanstead. There is already a Reading to LCY - London City Airport... it is simply lacking the Silvertown station that was there before LizPurp - xRail.
    Choosing Reading would totally change rail transport routes and options in the SE and SW of GB! No where else has such gravitas to evoke these sort of dynamic changes.

  • Derek Amitri, Bletchley

    Milton Keynes should be discounted at an early stage. It's essentially a prosperous southern commuter town, so hardly meets 'levelling up' criteria. It is also too closely associated with Network Rail who have a large office there, and locating close to, or at, this would reinforce a perception that GBR is an extension of NR - it is not.