Plans for a potential Great British Railways headquarters close to Sandbach in Crewe have been delayed - following an update from the government.

Yesterday (October 19), transport secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, said Great British Railways would not be brought before Parliament until May (2023) at the earliest.

This comes as a disappointment for the six potential locations of Crewe, Birmingham, Derby, Doncaster, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and York.

Yesterday (October 19), transport secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, said Great British Railways would not be brought before Parliament until May (2023) at the earliest (Wikimedia Commons).

Crewe is the only North West location left in the running for the new HQ. It is also the only town.

Mrs Trevelyan admitted GBR was unlikely to be fully in place by early 2024 - the initial target date.

The delay has been put down to government focus on the cost of living crisis.

Announced by former Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, in May 2021, plans for Great British Railways were billed as the biggest railway transformation in decades.

Great British Railways is meant to be the public body that will run the railways moving forward.

It would be state-owned, set timetables and prices, sell tickets in England, and manage rail infrastructure. 

Crewe is the only North West location left in the running for the new GBR HQ. It is also the only town (Ryan Parker)

Great British Railways would also issue contracts to private operators to run trains.

The public vote for where the GBR HQ should be located closed on Monday 15 August.

People of Crewe, Cheshire East, the wider region and the country as a whole all voted for the town.

This result of this vote is being used to measure the level of public support for each location. 

The Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT), is considering this as part of final decision making.  

The GBR HQ delay has been put down to government focus on the cost of living crisis (Ryan Parker).

The winner of the Great British Railways competition is still expected to be made in the coming weeks.

This result will be announced by the Secretary of State for Transport.

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