East Midlands urged to unite behind Derby’s rail bid
Nottingham businesses and residents are being urged to back Derby’s bid to become the new home of Great British Railways (GBR) – with one inward investment specialist insisting it would be “a win for the entire region.”
As we reported just over a week ago, Derby is one of six cities to be shortlisted as a potential location for the new rail body, alongside Birmingham, Crewe, Doncaster, Newcastle and York.
In October last year, the Government opened a competition to find a location for the GBR headquarters, with historical ties to the railways and good train connectivity being among the selection criteria.
Derby already has strong links to the rail industry, as home to trainmaker Alstom, which is the UK’s only facility with the expertise and capacity to both design and manufacture rolling stock.
The city is also home to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch and major players in the automotive and aviation industry such as Rolls-Royce and Toyota, making it uniquely placed for cross-sector collaboration.
If successful, the city’s bid to become GBR’s new home could bring millions of pounds of investment and hundreds of jobs to the region.
Nicolle Ndiweni, business expansion and inward investment specialist at Invest in Nottingham, said: “Derby’s shortlisting is great news for the entire region and the impact will be felt across our city and county.
“Bringing the national rail headquarters to the heart of the country makes perfect sense and would bring money and jobs to Derby and surrounding areas, for generations to come.
“This is a huge opportunity for our region and we wholeheartedly support Derby’s bid. I would encourage all Nottingham businesses and residents to log on to the website and cast their vote before the closing date [15 August].”
The final decision will be made by the Department for Transport, but the public vote is expected to carry significant weight.
Ndiweni added: “Locating the headquarters in Derby would allow Great British Railways access to a huge pool of talent and experience, from Derby, Nottingham and beyond. A win for Derby would be a win for our entire region.”
