Great British Railways: Derby chosen as location for new rail HQ

Derby has been named as the location for the headquarters of Great British Railways (GBR).

The new public body will own the rail infrastructure, procure passenger services and set most fares and timetables.

Doncaster, York, Birmingham, Crewe and Newcastle-upon-Tyne were also on the final shortlist of possible locations.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the move would make Derby "the heart of Great Britain's rail industry".

In May 2021, former Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced plans for GBR to be set up, saying it would replace an "overcomplicated and fragmented" system.

It was due to be launched in early 2024, but the implementation date has been delayed.

The selection criteria included alignment to transport connections, railway heritage and value for money.

Derby is already home to the UK's largest train factory, which employs about 2,000 people, and the former Railway Technical Centre in the south-east of the city - currently a business park - has been earmarked as a potential site for the headquarters.

Back in October, the Rail Forum, a national industry body based in Derby, said it feared government plans to overhaul the system with the new body might not go ahead.

By Georgia Roberts, BBC Radio Derby political reporter

After months of delay and even doubts over the project coming to fruition at all, Derby has finally been revealed as the new headquarters for GBR.

There was a massive cross-party campaign regionally to push Derby's bid, with both Conservative and Labour MPs getting on board.

Still, the timing has raised a few eyebrows locally. It comes weeks before what many expect to be a difficult set of local elections for the Conservative-run Derby City Council. Their purdah period comes just a day after the official announcement - just about squeaking in time for leaders to trumpet the success of the campaign on the airwaves before rules become stricter pre-election.

Questions remain about the Parliamentary timetable to get the necessary laws through Parliament to enact GBR before the next election, given the original timetable has already slipped substantially.

Some suggest the strong "political consensus" for the reform will see it through before autumn 2024, and recent events have certainly shown Westminster has an appetite for waving through sizeable legislation on a tight timetable these days.

Whenever it happens, it's clear that politicians and the many businesses here invested and linked to the rail sector are celebrating this as a much-needed boost for a city and a region that has consistently lagged behind for investment in recent years.

Amanda Solloway, MP for Derby North, said the decision was "fantastic news".

Ms Solloway, who campaigned wearing a t-shirt with a QR code on with more details on Derby's bid added it showcased the "city at it's best".

"I campaigned hard for this result by encouraging local figures, businesses, and members of the public to place a vote and by speaking to relevant ministers in Parliament," she said.

"This decision will bring jobs, investment, and the start of a new era for Britain's railways.

"Derby has a proud history of rail innovation and this title recognises the outstanding contribution that Derby has made to the UK's rail industry and highlights the city's commitment to driving innovation and excellence in rail engineering."

Mid Derbyshire MP Pauline Latham, added: "This is excellent news for Derby.

"It shows that working as a team with the rail industry, the city council and the public together with lobbying in Parliament and support from MPs outside of the city, we have won a prize which will give a boost to all in Derby."

Transport Secretary Mark Harper, said: "Derby will become the heart of Great Britain's rail industry, bringing together track and train, as well as revenue and cost.

"This means we will finally treat the railway as the whole system it should be rather than a web of disparate interests that it's become."