Julian quizzes Secretary of State over uncertainty surrounding East Coast Mainline Headquarters
December 6, 2014
Today in Parliament, Julian called on the Government to do more to keep the rail headquarters in the city.
Speaking in the House of Commons during the Transport Questions debate, Julian asked “I welcome the franchise announcements, which see major improvements across the network. In respect of the east coast main line, however, there are some local concerns in York about the future franchise headquarters. For generations York has been the beating heart of the East Coast Mainline, so will the Secretary of State or the Rail Minister, agree to look at what can be done to ensure that the headquarters stay in York?”
In response, the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin said “I understand the point that my Honorable Friend makes. The lease is up on the premises where the headquarters are currently located. I want the new franchise company to consider where its headquarters will be, but one of the announcements was that there would be training facilities in London, Derby and York to train people to operate that service. York will always be a very important part of the service.”
Following the debate, Julian responding by commenting “Whilst I am pleased that the Secretary of State acknowledges the importance of York on the strategic network of the East Coast Mainline, it is disappointing that we are still awaiting a definitive commitment to the Headquarters remaining in the city.
“Ultimately, this decision can only come from the new franchisee holder and as such I will be writing to Stagecoach and Virgin, requesting a meeting to discuss the matter further. We currently have some of the finest rail expertise anywhere in the country and it is absolutely essential that it remains here in York where it belongs.“
