Great British Railways: Derby expected to win race for rail HQ

Derby is expected to be named as the headquarters of Great British Railways (GBR).

A report in The Guardian said the East Midlands city had been selected by the Department for Transport.

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

The home of the new body - which will oversee rail infrastructure, ticket prices and timetables - has not been officially confirmed.

In May 2021 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.

Among the selection criteria were 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.

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