Julian backs York railway HQ bid in Parliament
April 27, 2022
Yesterday, Julian joined North Yorkshire MPs in strongly backing York’s application in the competition to become the headquarters for the new national rail body Great British Railways, during a debate in Parliament.
Having organised a similar debate making York’s case in November 2021, Julian vocally supported the arguments made by his fellow city MP Rachael Maskell, who arranged this latest session.
Creating Great British Railways is intended to improve services by uniting railway management under one structure, which will be responding for timetabling, collecting fares, and running and planning the network. Locating it in York is an opportunity to create new local jobs, better secure the city’s substantial existing rail employment, and cement York’s position as a major regional centre.
Julian sought to persuade Transport Minister Wendy Morton responding to the debate, stressing York’s long rail heritage and existing Network Rail facilities, and the massive potential of the ‘shovel-ready’ York Central site as a HQ, one of the largest urban brownfield sites in Europe.
He also emphasised York’s central geographical position in the UK and status as a major Northern centre, meaning locating the HQ here would fulfil the government’s aims to strengthen the Union of the home nations, and ‘level-up’ Northern England by providing new opportunities.
After the debate, Julian said: “I thought it was vital to support Rachael and my North Yorkshire Conservative colleagues in reiterating our city’s very strong case to Ministers. With many other bids and a public vote to help decide, there is still all to play for, and we must use every chance to keep up the pressure.
I will continue to focus intensively on this to help guarantee York’s long-term prosperity and connectivity.”
