Salford has submitted a bid to be the home of the headquarters for the new Great British Railways (GBR) organisation. The GBR is a planned public body that will administer the infrastructure and running of much of the UK’s railway network from 2023.
The radical reform is set to dismantle the current franchise system of operations in the UK. GBR will integrate the stewardship of infrastructure and oversee most aspects of passenger planning, including setting train fares and timetables.
Last month, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps launched a contest for cities and towns outside of London to bid to host the public body’s HQ.
READ MORE: Search for person in Greater Manchester who is owed £1m
Initial applicants included Bolton and Heywood, alongside a mysterious bid from another area in Greater Manchester. It was announced today (April 19) that the third bid from the region has come from Salford City Council.
If successful, the Salford HQ would be situated at 100 Embankment, a 166,000 sq ft office located on Cathedral Approach by the River Irwell. The location is within walking distance of Manchester Victoria station.
The ‘modern and sustainable office building complex’ is also built on the former site of Manchester Exchange station, which was once home to Europe’s longest train platform at 682 metres. Because of this, the council says the location would help align Salford’s history of rail with the aims of the new GBR body.
Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “Salford would be the perfect destination for the headquarters of Great British Railways. Not only are we vastly connected to this country’s railway history through figures such as George Bradshaw and the father of railways, George Stephenson, but we are a city that has always been at the forefront of travel.
“From the first horse-drawn carriages to the first steamboats, our history as Salfordians is rooted in advancing the way we get around. We are now a thriving digital city, one of the fastest growing in the region and developing a significant skills and media cluster to rival anywhere in Europe.
“Greater Manchester has also become one of Whitehall’s key outposts outside of London and is home to several key government departments who have brought decision-making to our doorstep. However, whilst we continue to build a brighter future for our city, we remain home to communities in serious deprivation.
“The jobs, work opportunities and investment from GBR’s new HQ could be critical in helping us address the key disparities that we have in Salford. It would be the perfect example of the levelling up that this government is aiming to deliver for communities in the North West.”
Salford City Council is working with Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) on its bid, alongside a number of additional organisations and partners across the city. The bid was submitted with the support of MIDAS – Manchester’s inward investment agency.
The shortlist for the headquarters will be announced in May 2022 and then a public vote will open with the winner expected to be announced later this summer.
