Great Western Coffee Shop

Proper poll is at https://gbrtt.co.uk/hq-competition-public-vote/

Although I voted, I am also in the "dont really care" group.

One might hope that GBR will bring about improvements, but the location of the headquarters is not that important. Anywhere that represents good value for money and that has decent rail connections should be fine.

 

The only importance in my view is if they try to relocate a lot of staff there.  That way they will loose valuable skills again just as when NR moved to Milton Keynes.  They lost (among others) experienced timetablers!

Great British Railways project looks set to be scrapped, insiders say

Grant Shapps’s flagship Great British Railways project is in danger of being scrapped, according to insiders working on the project.

The former Transport Secretary, who is currently at odds with new Prime Minister Liz Truss, had led plans to replace rail franchising and modernise ticketing but those working on the project now believe it will be axed.

A Whitehall source told i that work on the project had slowed down significantly since Ms Truss became Prime Minister, leading to fears over its future amid a bonfire of other Boris Johnson-era policies.

Another claimed the project had been all but halted with the anticipation within the Department for Transport being that the project would be canned.

Plans to simplify tickets and to replace the current franchise model with an outsourcing process were proposed under the creation of a new ‘Great British Railways’ public body.

The review, which built upon the Williams Rail Review of 2018, also outlined plans for more pay as you go, contactless and digital ticketing on smartphones.

When the project was unveiled in May 2021, the Department for Transport said: “A new public body, Great British Railways (GBR), will integrate the railways, owning the infrastructure, collecting fare revenue, running and planning the network, and setting most fares and timetables.

“GBR will simplify the current mass of confusing tickets with new flexible season tickets and a significant roll-out of more convenient Pay As You Go, contactless and digital ticketing on smartphones. A new GBR website will sell tickets and a single compensation system for operators in England will provide a simple system for passengers to access information and apply for refunds.

“There will remain a substantial and often greater role for the private sector. GBR will contract private partners to operate most trains to the timetables and fares it specifies.”

When announcing the plans, Mr Shapps hailed the reforms as a remedy for “years of fragmentation, confusion and overcomplication” on the railways.

Many of the changes outlined in the review were already out for consultation and plans for a new headquarters in the north for Great British Railways were being developed.

A source close to Mr Shapps said that they had heard the project could be scrapped but had not received any formal confirmation of a policy change.

In recent weeks, Mr Shapps has become one of the faces of the opposition to Ms Truss’ premiership. Last week, Mr Shapps criticised the Government for not supporting workers on lower incomes and prioritizing tax cuts for the richest.

He also told the News Agents podcast at Conservative party conference that Ms Truss needed to turn around her premiership in a matter of days.

Mr Shapps said: “I think it is obvious to say that there is a limited period of time to turn things around from what’s been a choppy, difficult start.

“I think these next few days, by definition, is obviously the key moment. The next 10 days, of course, is a critical period, that goes without saying.

“It doesn’t mean it’s the end moment, one way or the other, it doesn’t mean that time will stop after 10 days.

“But I think it’s really important, if she’s going to turn it around, this is the time to do it.”

It comes after i revealed last week that Ms Truss’s Government was likely to scale back Boris Johnson’s much-scrutinised key manifesto commitment to build ’40 new hospitals.’

Nadine Dorries, the former Culture Secretary, has also criticised Ms Truss for putting projects including the Online Safety Bill, the sale of Channel 4 and a review of the BBC licence fee on hold.

She suggested the Prime Minister should call a General Election if she wanted to push forward policies that people had not voted for in 2019.

When asked about the plans for Great British Railways, a Department for Transport spokesman declined to comment on the project specifically.

A spokesman said: “We are committed to reforming our railways, improving journeys for passengers and creating a better and more modern UK rail industry. We are continuing to work with the sector to tackle the challenges they continue to face as the railway continues to recover from the pandemic .

“We will take forward legislation when Parliamentary time allows and further detail on timing of will be confirmed in due course.”

I welcome the support of colleagues for the six shortlisted towns and cities, and I note that the hon. Member for York Central (Rachael Maskell) has been vocal in her support for York to be the winner. I hope to be able to announce the successful location shortly—subject to other events outside the Chamber.

Kevin Foster, Minister of State, Department for Transport - Yesterday (24/10/22) in Parliament:


Probably York then?

Good to see the DfT have got their priorities sorted out.