Transport for the North say the Great British Railways’ national headquarters can be anywhere, as long as it’s not based in the south of the country.  

Transport for the North (TfN) has launched a campaign in support of four shortlisted locations in the North of England bidding to be the new home of Britain’s railways. 

The public vote has already begun and will go until August 15, with the Transport Secretary making the final decision later this year. 

Of the six shortlisted potential locations, four are in the North: Crewe, Doncaster, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and York. 

The North is geographically placed at the heart of the GB Rail Network, and close proximity to major hubs with the main North-South rail arteries of East Coast Main Line and West Coast Main Line passing through it. 

The region is already home to many rail businesses, and over the next two decades major projects such as HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail will be built in the North, making the region a railway powerhouse. 

Lancashire Telegraph:

The North's rail heritage is unrivalled as the region is the birthplace of the country’s rail network, and basing GBR HQ here would be a kind of homecoming for the railway.

But not only that, it would further help Levelling Up the UK by bringing some high skilled jobs and investment to the region as well as supporting many of those already here. 

From now until the close of polls, TfN will be helping to make the case for each of the four locations to ensure that GBR HQ is North based.

CEO of TfN,  Martin Tugwell, said:  “The new Great British Railways’ headquarters can be anywhere, as long as it’s here in the North.

"TfN will be making the case for it to be based here in the heart of the country over the coming weeks. 

“Our country’s national railway is more than 200 years old, but few people know that our rail network was born here in the North of England with the very first railways and stations. By basing GBR here it will be a homecoming. 

“It will also make the most strategic sense for the country as many rail businesses and supply chains are here in the North, and the region straddles two of the main rail arteries in the UK in the East Coast Mainline and West Coast Mainline and will be the location for the biggest rail investment over the next three decades in Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2. 

“The North is also at the forefront of the government’s Levelling Up agenda, and therefore the investment and high skilled jobs it would bring to the region would be a key signal on the start of delivering on this aspiration.”