Doncaster bidding to be home of Great British Railway

Doncaster has become the latest town to bid to become the home of a new national body for the country's railways.

Mayor Ros Jones said the town is "perfectly situated" for Great British Railways, because of its transport links and history.

The town was the birthplace of the Mallard and Flying Scotsman locomotives and has "150 years" of engineering experience, the mayor said.

Backing the bid, Mayor of Sheffield City Region, Dan Jarvis MP said: “Trains have played an integral part in Doncaster’s past for more than a hundred years, and I hope they will be central to its future. Doncaster’s position at the heart of the rail network would make it the ideal site for the new Great British Railways headquarters.

"The government has pledged to ‘Level Up’ our communities, and building the new home for the railways in Doncaster would bring much needed jobs and investment to South Yorkshire.”

Local MPs Ed Miliband, Rosie Winterton and Nick Fletcher have also backed the bid.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps announced a competition to find the home of the new national rail body, after revealing plans for the state-owned GBR in May.

It'll look at reforming the country's railway system.

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