Rail minister visits Crewe and tells us what she thinks about GBR HQ bid
Wendy Morton MP is on a tour of the six shortlisted areas for #DestinationGBR
Last updated 15th Jul 2022
Crewe has had the opportunity to set out its case as to why it's the best location for the Great British Railways HQ as the government's rail minister pays a visit.
It's after last week's announcement that Crewe made the final shortlist of six to be the location of the new UK headquarters.
Crewe is up against Birmingham, Derby, Doncaster, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and York of which the winner will be announced later in the year.
The minister's visit included a full tour of Crewe's railway infrastructure and a meet and greet with Cheshire East Council leaders, local MP Kieran Mullan and media personality Pete Waterman who was there to champion the areas assets.
Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire News asked Wendy Morton MP if she was impressed with what's on offer:
"Yes, I am impressed. I'm taking that away with me from here. I've got a real sense of the history of Crewe in terms of its rail heritage, but also the future, the sense of generation around the railway station and the ambition.
"And, I'm standing here in the engine workshops, where there are some great opportunities for apprentices to develop skills working on the on the locomotives.
"It's been it's been a really interesting day."
Crewe is bidding to become the home of Great British Railways, the new national rail operator from 2023.
As a town which has been at the heart of Britain’s rail network for decades, Crewe has an exceptionally strong case to win this competition and create new opportunities for people and businesses in Crewe.
The public get to help decide in a public vote, on where the GBR HQ should be located before a final decision is made in summer 2022.
People can vote now on this dedicated new website.
Councillor Sam Corcoran, leader of Cheshire East Council, said:
“We strongly believe that Crewe is the right and logical choice. Crewe is a rail town through and through, at the heart of the rail network. Crewe has a strong rail heritage and is one of the most connected interchanges in the country, connecting the nation and serving as a gateway for the North.”
Rail minister Wendy Morton MP added:
"The specific criteria that we will take into account is the connectivity and the links of each of the bids, the opportunities for skills and jobs. The levelling up agenda - and we will also take into account value for money.
"The public vote is one part of that criteria, but it doesn't matter the size of the town or the city because you know, each one will be putting forward its own merits. And each one can encourage people to bid to support their to vote for their bid.
"Obviously, now we're going through the public vote part of this process. So people from across the country have until a minute to midnight on the 15th of August to place their vote by going to the GBR TT website or, or writing into GBR TT at Milton Keynes.
"After that point, we will consider the merits of each of the six towns and cities alongside the criteria. And then we will make a final decision."
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