Southampton bids to be home to Great British Railway headquarters

Southampton City Council wants to boost employment by hosting the HQ for Great British Railway

Southampton has thrown its hat in the ring to become the home of a new national body for the country's railways.

A competition to find a host for the headquarters for Great British Railway (GBR) was announced by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps in October.

The government said GBR's headquarters would go to a place "with a rich railway history".

Southampton City Council has submitted an official expression of interest.

Other places to have put their names forward include Crewe, York, and Doncaster.

MP Paul Holmes has also launched a campaign to bring the HQ to nearby Eastleigh.

The new state-owned GBR was announced in May in a plan to reform the railway system.

GBR will set timetables and prices, sell tickets in England and manage rail infrastructure.

'Trade gateway'

Daniel Fitzhenry, leader of Southampton City Council, said: "Having the first national headquarters of Great British Railways in Southampton will not only be an asset to our bid to become the UK City of Culture 2025, it will also level-up our communities by boosting employment, upskilling our workforce and supporting business growth."

He said the project would provide "supported opportunities to those not currently in employment" during the pandemic, which had been "an incredibly difficult period for businesses across the whole of the UK".

Southampton's connection to the railway began in 1831 with the formation of the London and Southampton Railway which led to the construction of the Eastern Docks, now known as Ocean Village.

The building of the Western Docks in the 1930s was also largely funded by the rail company.

What is now Southampton Central railway station first opened in 1895 and prior to the pandemic was used by around 6.5m passengers each year.

A city council spokesperson said: "It has been long recognised that the railway infrastructure in Southampton plays a vital role in supporting imports to and exports from the UK, often referred to as the 'gateway to the world'."

They said locating the headquarters in the city offered the potential to "create a clear link with one of the most significant international trade gateways in the world".