Can Crewe secure the public vote to be the home of Great British Railways HQ?
By Gwyn Griffiths
5th Feb 2022 | Local News
THE public are to be asked to cast their votes to help the government find a home for Great British Railways with Crewe expected to be among the frontrunners.
The competition to find the new home of Great British Railways (GBR) officially opens today (Saturday), with towns and cities across England, Wales and Scotland invited to apply.
Crewe featured in the competition announcement video which was championed by broadcaster Michael Portillo.
As part of the government's commitment to level-up the UK, and following the publication of the Levelling Up White Paper, the new Great British Railways HQ will be based outside of London and bring a number of highly-skilled jobs to the winning location.
Locations across the country with strong historical links to the railway are being encouraged to make the case for why they should be the new home of GBR.
The GBR Transition Team will then shortlist the best applications in May, after which a public vote will help determine the winning location.
Cheshire East councillors have already backed a motion for the borough council to press Crewe's case to the government for the GBR HQ.
A number of new regional headquarters will also be created across the country.
The creation of GBR was announced as a major pillar of reforms launched by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail.
Mr Shapps said: "Our railways have kept this country moving for almost two hundred years, but it's time to kickstart a new age that will shape our network for the next two hundred.
"I'm calling on people across the country to make the case for why the true home of the railways is on your doorstep."
Applications in the will be measured against six criteria:
- Alignment to Levelling Up objectives
- Places that are connected and easy to get to
- Opportunities for Great British Railways
- Railway heritage and links to the network
- Value for money
- Public support
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