Full steam ahead on bid to bring jobs-creating Great British Railways HQ to Peterborough

An action plan is being drawn up to ensure Peterborough is the first class destination of choice for the nation’s new Great British Railways headquarters.
Peterborough Railway Station. EMN-200518-153250009Peterborough Railway Station. EMN-200518-153250009
Peterborough Railway Station. EMN-200518-153250009

It is anticipated that thousands of jobs could be created in Peterborough if the city can successfully hook up to the UK’s new railway revolution.

Work is already well on track to prepare a bid to prove to Government transport chiefs how Peterborough is the ideal destination for the multi-million pound Great British Railways headquarters.

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But Peterborough is likely to face tough challenges from many other cities ambitious to benefit from the latest shake-up of the nation’s rail operations.

And success in the four stage competition, launched by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, will also hang on a major showing of support from the public for the headquarters to be in their home city.

Peterborough MP Paul Bristow said: “We all need to get behind this exciting bid for Peterborough.

“Rail has been part of the city’s history since the 1840s and 1850s. Let’s bring the national rail headquarters to Peterborough.

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“We have plenty of space here and it could create up to 5,000 jobs.”

Peterborough Railway Station. EMN-200518-153206009Peterborough Railway Station. EMN-200518-153206009
Peterborough Railway Station. EMN-200518-153206009

Peterborough City Council leader Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald said: “It is a fantastic idea and why should it not be in Peterborough?

“We are currently developing our bid.

“The new headquarters could create a substantial number of jobs - in the thousands.

“There are a number of suitable sites in the city, for instance we are in preliminary talks about developing the city’s Station Quarter and there is land near the new GB RailFreight centre that opened recently.

Blue plaque presentation at  the site of Peterborough East railway station  with Toby Wood from  the Civic Society EMN-200624-140233009Blue plaque presentation at  the site of Peterborough East railway station  with Toby Wood from  the Civic Society EMN-200624-140233009
Blue plaque presentation at the site of Peterborough East railway station with Toby Wood from the Civic Society EMN-200624-140233009
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Cllr Fitzgerald added: “We are well placed to be the new rail hub. We are on right on the East Coast Main Line and are about 79 miles from London and are the fifth fastest growing city in the country.

“Peterborough is steeped in railway heritage - Peterborough station opened in 1850 yet the East Station in Peterborough opened from 1845 before closure in 1972 - and many thousands of our people have worked for the railways over the years.”

Tom Hennessy, chief executive of economic regeneration company Opportunity Peterborough, said: “Peterborough would be a fantastic base for Great British Railways and we’d certainly welcome such a major investment.

“We’re already the UK headquarters for major organisations like British Sugar, CITB, Royal HaskoningDHV, Coloplast, Bauer Media, and Whirlpool to name a few, who are reaping the benefits of our skilled workforce, fantastic digital connectivity, and robust infrastructure.

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He added: “With ARU Peterborough opening this year there will be fresh opportunities for workforce development.

“They’d also have ready access to a growing, ambitious talent pool in one of the fastest growing cities in the country.

“From a rail perspective too, we’re a city steeped in rail heritage, which along with our location, has led to Peterborough becoming a critical junction for freight and passengers, so moving Great British Railways HQ here would work well.”

Great British Railways has been set up by the Department for Transport to transform the way the rail sector works and will bring track and train operators together.

The aim is to create a customer-focused railway service.

The key dates for the competition are:

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Stage 1: March 16, 2022: Deadline for expressions of interest.

Stage 2: May 2022: Shortlist announced.

Stage 3: May 2022: Public vote.

Stage 4: Summer 2022: Winner announced.

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