Latest regional bid launched for Great British Railways HQ

Doncaster has formally launched its bid to host the HQ of Great British Railways (GBR), the new body that will run the country’s rail network.

The bid is backed by civic leaders and Chambers of Commerce across the region. If successful, GBR’s HQ will bring hundreds of high-skilled jobs to the region. It will create many more in the broader rail sector that will benefit from the extra investment and talent it will attract.

In support of the bid, CEO of Doncaster Chamber Dan Fell, said: “Doncaster is the right choice for GBR’s HQ. We are a community of rail families. Our region may be steeped in rail history, but it’s our future too. We built the Flying Scotsman and Mallard. But we also maintain today’s fleet of new LNER trains.

“Our rail industry employs 20,000 people across 200 companies. Whatever your focus within rail or logistics, you can make your career here with the biggest names in the trade. Network Rail, Unipart Rail, Hitachi, DB Cargo, Volker Rail – all have chosen South Yorkshire. The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, which brings together leading producers from around the world, is based at the University of Sheffield. The National College of Advanced Transport and Infrastructure (NCATI) caters to the range of careers in rail.

“This new HQ will be just a short walk from Doncaster’s East Coast Mainline station with fast onward connections by rail and road to the rest of the country.

“If we win, it will mark a major milestone in our economic revival – underpinning the growth of one of our most promising sectors. It will prove how far ‘Team South Yorkshire’ has come in working together to secure transformational investments in our economy.”

Fell added: “The scale of support from businesses and communities for Doncaster’s bid is becoming very clear.  The region’s Chambers, which jointly work with more than 20,000 businesses a year and represent members employing more than 422,000 people, jointly throwing their weight behind this campaign is significant.  We are all determined to maximise this opportunity for our region and our business communities; we stand ready to work with our partners, businesses and Government to make GBR’s move to Doncaster a resounding success.”

Doncaster isn’t the only location in Yorkshire bidding for the new HQ with West and North Yorkshire putting forward their own options in joins York and Wakefield, respectively.

Northern Leadership Award nominee, Alexis Krachai CEOs of Sheffield Chamber said: “The impact of Doncaster becoming the home of the Great British Railway will not be limited to just the town itself, as the benefits will be felt across the entire region. It will attract investments from around the globe, generate business opportunities for those in the North of England and create skilled job openings.

“This impact will be felt across Doncaster, South Yorkshire, and the whole UK. For that reason, the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce is enthusiastically supporting this bid.”

Andrew Denniff, CEO of Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber said: “South Yorkshire has a longstanding and proud connection to the rail industry and continues to be at the forefront of rail engineering both in terms of manufacture and maintenance of infrastructure, as well as providing high quality training for careers in the sector. A successful bid for South Yorkshire to be the home of the Great British Rail headquarters in Doncaster would be great news for businesses and communities in the region, through the supply chain and job opportunities created.”

Dr Ian Kelly, chief executive of Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, said: “Doncaster becoming the home of the Great British Rail headquarters is an important step for the whole region’s economic growth and for the government’s levelling up commitments. We welcome this bid and anticipate it creating opportunities for businesses and communities in the Hull and Humber area.”

Martin Hathaway, managing director of Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Doncaster becoming the home for the new Great British Rail headquarters would be a welcome investment in the Yorkshire economy, creating new jobs and opportunities for businesses in the area.  If ‘levelling up’ is a genuine criteria for the decision, it is imperative that Government picks a destination for the GBR headquarters that can most benefit from that investment.”

The final decision on the new HQ’s location will be made this year by the government who will take into account a public vote on the new location, after it has reveals a shortlist in May.