Bid in to make York home of high speed rail college

A BID to make York the home of the new national high speed rail college has been submitted to the government.

More than 60 businesses and organisations across the Yorkshire and the North East regions are backing the bid. With up to 2,000 apprentices potentially benefitting from the new college, education skills providers across the region are also supporting the proposals including York College, Teesside University, Darlington College and the University of York to ensure a York Central hub would extend across Yorkshire and the North East.

The college will deliver specialised training and qualifications needed to construct high speed rail, which will not only benefit HS2 but other future infrastructure projects in the region.

Barry Dodd, chairman of the York, North Yorkshire & East Riding Enterprise Partnership, said: “The UK excels in several technologies but it is rare to gain the operating benefits of critical mass, particularly in the North of England. The York and North Yorkshire with East Riding LEP believes the proposed High Speed Rail College should be located in York because the existing brand new Network Rail training centre together with impressive rail infrastructure is already there. The HSR college would therefore gain instant critical mass, provide cross training opportunities and achieve cost benefits if positioned in York.”

The government is expected to make a decision on the location of the site in June/July.