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DfT announces 650 roles to be created in Birmingham and Leeds

The Department for Transport to create a second HQ in Birmingham and a northern hub in Leeds as part of government commitment to level up all parts of the UK

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It is the latest step in the government’s drive to move 22,000 Civil Service roles from London to communities across the UK by 2030.

Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary, said:

This is a historic move for the department and part of a significant wider culture change across Whitehall.

Transport is absolutely vital to the local communities we serve and having hubs in major cities like Birmingham and Leeds will offer a fresh perspective on how we can better serve these areas.

Chris Heaton-Harris, Transport Minister, said:

Our department has a key role to play in this government’s drive to level up across the country. Having hundreds more roles based outside of London will not only bring an economic boost for Birmingham and Leeds, but also ensure we are delivering the changes people around the country want.

The Birmingham headquarters will include new ministerial offices, with ministers expected to spend a significant amount of time there as the government works to rebuild the UK. The news of DfT creating a northern hub in Leeds comes on the back of the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, this month, also confirming that the UK’s first-ever infrastructure bank will also be based in the city..