The deadline for cities and towns to enter the national competition was Wednesday 16 March.
In 2021, the Government revealed new plans to put the nations railways under a single national leadership for the first time in 25 years.
A competition was shortly after announced by The Transport Secretary allowing cities and towns to submit a bid to become the home to the new Great British Railways (GBR) headquarters.
On Wednesday, 16th March, the competition officially closed and 42 places had submitted a bid, including Milton Keynes.
Here is a list of places bidding to become home to the new HQ:
- Milton Keynes
- Barrow in Furness
- Birmingham
- Bishops Stortford
- Bolton
- Camborne
- Carlisle
- Carnforth
- Coventry
- Crewe
- Darlington
- Derby
- Didcot
- Hull
- Doncaster
- Liverpool City
- Dundee Region
- Durham City
- Eastleigh
- Motherwell
- Edinburgh
- Newcastle
- Fife
- Northampton
- Gloucester
- Nuneaton
- Grantham
- Perth
- Greater Manchester
- Peterborough
- Heywood
- Preston
- Southampton
- Stockton on Tees
- Swindon
- Tamworth
- Tonbridge
- Wakefield
- Wellingborough
- West of England Combined Authority
- Worcester
- York
GBR is seeking to commission its national headquarters in a location with a rich railway heritage and strong links to the network, outside of London.
Milton Keynes Council, alongside Milton Keynes MPs have been actively bidding for MK to be chosen as home for the HQ.
MK Council said Milton Keynes is the ‘obvious choice’ for Great British Rail HQ.
Council Leader Cllr Pete Marland said: “Milton Keynes is an obvious contender to be the home of Britain’s railways. As well as our rich railway heritage, we have so much to offer a modern organisation – as evidenced by the sheer number of successful firms who have made their home here, and who continue to invest in their future here.
"We hope to welcome Great British Railway as they explore their options, to show them the talent and skills they can access in Milton Keynes as well as our brilliant urban and green spaces.”
When Great British Railways was announced, local MPs Iain and Ben wrote to the Transport Secretary outlining backing the bid with Milton Keynes already playing a huge role in the UK rail industry.
MK is home to Network Rail’s The Quadrant and the world’s longest continuously running rail works Wolverton Works, and Bletchley Station will be benefitting from the Towns Fund, while East-West Rail will be a vital new connection linking Milton Keynes with Oxford and Cambridge.
Ben Everitt Mp also met with Rail Minister Wendy Morton. He said: "
"I was delighted to meet with the Rail Minister and talk about all the fantastic reasons why it's just got to be Milton Keynes for the new HQ of Great British Railways.
"We've got pieces of railway past, present and future - from the Royal Train at the world's longest continuously operating rail works in Wolverton Works, to Network's Rail's operations centre at The Quadrant, to the future expansion of East-West rail to MK, we really are at the centre of UK railways."
Once a shortlist has been chosen, it will be left in the hands of the public to vote for a winner.
