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Author Topic: 16th March 2022 - Where should the GBR HQ be?  (Read 17132 times)
grahame
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« on: February 05, 2022, 20:42:56 »

From https://gbrtt.com/hq/

Quote
Introduction

Britain’s railways are embarking on a major, once in a generation reform that will transform the way in which the sector works, bringing together track and train to deliver a customer-focused railway. Great British Railways will be the railway’s new guiding mind, and a Transition Team has been established to drive forward its design and deliver early benefits. 

Our vision is to create a simpler, better railway for everyone in Britain.

A commitment to establish Great British Railways was made in May 2021 as part of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, focused on delivering sweeping reforms that create a truly passenger-focused railway. It will serve as a single, accountable public body responsible for running Britain’s railways. As a new organisation, with a new culture, focused on serving the interests of everyone in Britain, Great British Railways will need a new national headquarters.

On 4 October 2021, the Secretary for State for Transport announced that a competition will take place to find a location for the headquarters outside of London. 

Towns and cities outside of London have the opportunity to participate in the Great British Railways national headquarters selection process, which is being run by the Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT) on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT» (Department for Transport - about)). The competition will seek to recognise places with a rich railway heritage, strong links to the national network and public support for the selected location, creating a great opportunity to promote communities as the proud home for the start of a new era in Britain’s railways.

and

Quote
Key dates

The competition will consist of four stages that will enable GBRTT to find the most suitable candidate for the national headquarters.

Stage 1 – Expression of Interest deadline: 16 March 2022

Stage 2 – Shortlist announced: May 2022

Stage 3 – Ministerial visits to shortlisted places and a public vote: May 2022

Stage 4 – Headquarters’ location announced: Summer 2022
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« Reply #1 on: February 05, 2022, 22:03:22 »

No doubt various MPs (Member of Parliament) will be pushing for it to be in their constituencies, such as the one for Eastleigh. There was a version of this story on Meridian News tonight.

(I got a malware alert when I first clicked on the link, but it was to the Hampshire Chronicle website, so I took a risk and went ahead.)

I would have thought that the town stood little chance; the area is one of the more prosperous in the country and with "levelling up" ...
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« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2022, 08:05:20 »

Will the Government risk placing it in a "red wall Tory seat" ?

Remember this new 'Rail HQ (Headquarters)' will be not only the head functions of Network Rail but parts of the DfT» (Department for Transport - about) such things as the ToC contract award, parts of the ORR» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about).

The HQ will be I am guessing in the geographic central core of the UK (United Kingdom), somewhere like Leeds, Sheffield, Braford, Manchester areas, I would not rule out Derby. 
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CyclingSid
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« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2022, 08:53:01 »

Not sure I would call Eastleigh prosperous, other parts of the constituency might be. But, of course, everything is relative. I wonder if it will end up in Uxbridge? In the days of Tony Blair there was an indicator for constituencies performing poorly in health. Never worked out how they arranged the indicators to include Mr Blair's constituency.

But as they say a week is a long time in politics, who knows who will be running (?) the show by then.
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GBM
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« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2022, 10:24:05 »

Melksham would be a good location from what I've read.
Connectable rail service, with added bus links  Undecided
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grahame
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« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2022, 10:37:03 »

Melksham would be a good location from what I've read.
Connectable rail service, with added bus links  Undecided

We were discussing that earlier. Stranger things have happened.
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« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2022, 11:37:31 »

Make sure you view this before you make your decision!

https://twitter.com/grantshapps/status/1489894303207985152?s=21
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« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2022, 13:06:16 »

Not sure I would call Eastleigh prosperous, other parts of the constituency might be.

December 2021 unemployment rates: Eastleigh 2.5%; South East 3.5%; GB (Great Britain) 4.4%.

Given the shortage of experienced staff in many sectors, would a GBR (Great British Railways) HQ (Headquarters) in Eastleigh be able to recruit the people it needed?

(Forgive me, Sid: for most of my career I was the regional press officer for the Manpower Services Commission and Department of Employment. Admittedly that was some a long time ago.)
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paul7575
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« Reply #8 on: February 06, 2022, 14:05:34 »

I suspect Eastleigh as a borough includes quite a significant population that don’t look towards Eastleigh for much at all, the local government area seems somewhat artificial to me, and extends right down to Hamble via Hedge End and Botley, I think many of the more southern residents will look far more towards Southampton, or Fareham, and even Portsmouth.

I think Cycling Sid is probably right with that average figure covering significant variations...
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Western Pathfinder
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« Reply #9 on: February 06, 2022, 17:13:26 »

Make sure you view this before you make your decision!

https://twitter.com/grantshapps/status/1489894303207985152?s=21

I'm saddened to see that?
Portillo must have fallen on hard times
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« Reply #10 on: February 06, 2022, 17:30:15 »

If this HQ (Headquarters) has ample car parking I will not be impressed.
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eightonedee
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« Reply #11 on: February 06, 2022, 18:02:44 »

Quote
I'm saddened to see that?
Portillo must have fallen on hard times

Agree - also think the flamboyantly jacketed one would make a much better job of Shapps's (and most of Shapps's current colleagues') job........
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johnneyw
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« Reply #12 on: February 06, 2022, 20:40:19 »

I'm wondering if Bristol would put itself forward?  Plenty of railway tradition but perhaps it's only the Midlands and the North that the government are really looking to.  In any case, I doubt if Metro Mayor of Mayor Marv would want to come out to play.
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« Reply #13 on: February 06, 2022, 20:48:30 »

Swindon has a greater claim toa  railway tradition that Bristol IMHO (in my humble opinion).  However I think Derby, Crewe, Doncaster or even York would fit with the present government's levelling up agenda.  However the logical outcome for me would be Milton Keynes (aka Wolverton) since many of Network Rail's staff were relocated there not long ago, at a serious cost in loss of skills, and a further relocation would risk loosing even more of those skills. 
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« Reply #14 on: February 06, 2022, 21:11:09 »

Simples - Just turf out Landmark hotels and put it back in 222 Marylebone Road, London.  Grin
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