Vote for Crewe to be the home of Great British Railways


Vote for Crewe
Vote for Crewe to be the home of Great British Railways
Crewe at The Heart of Rail

Crewe at The Heart of Rail

Crewe is bidding to become the home of Great British Railways (GBR), the new national rail operator from 2023. A competition to find a home for the new headquarters of Great British Railways has been launched. As a town which has been at the heart of Britain’s rail network for decades, Crewe has an exceptionally strong case to win this competition and create new opportunities for people and businesses in Crewe.

A Rich Heritage of Rail

A Rich Heritage of Rail

The railways have been the heart of the town since the very beginning as it was built up around the train station and Crewe Works in the 19th Century. We believe that the arrival of GBR along with an HS2 Super Hub would mean that rail can be a part of an even brighter future for Crewe.

Crewe’s location has always put us at the heart of the railways because we connect every part of the UK, making this the ideal location for the GBR headquarters. We have the only station on the mainline with connections to all of the regional capitals, making this an ideal strategic location that would benefit everyone involved.

Crewe & Rail Today

Crewe & Rail Today

After all, rail is in our blood, from the days when the Works employed 20,000 people right through to modern times, meaning we’ve got a skilled workforce no other town can match. Crewe still has 7% of the rail workforce in England, despite having just 0.1% of the country’s population and we’re home to many important rail businesses already.

We’ve got the passion, the heritage, the pride, the expertise and the location to create a partnership with GBR that will be the catalyst to transform both the town’s future and that of our whole country’s railways.

Great British Railways – an exciting opportunity for Crewe’s future

Great British Railways – an exciting opportunity for Crewe’s future

The arrival of GBR would be a huge boost to our economy, bringing more investment and more jobs and opportunities for local people, and showing that Crewe is a town with a bright future once again.

Our bid has already been backed by all four Cheshire East Council group leaders, regional MPs, high profile figures like Pete Waterman and local education and industry leaders, as well as 97% of people voting in a survey in The Chronicle.

That’s why we’re asking you to help Crewe once again become the home of Great British Railways and you can share your support on social media, using the hashtag #HeartOfRail. Public support will make a huge difference to the campaign and help to re-establish Crewe as a rail powerhouse.

Already backing Crewe's bid...

Supporters & Advocates

Councillor Sam Corcoran
Councillor Sam Corcoran Leader of Cheshire East Council
Councillor Craig Browne
Councillor Craig Browne Deputy Leader of Cheshire East Council
Pete Waterman
Pete Waterman Music producer, railway enthusiast and Cheshire East resident
Peter Graham
Peter Graham Head of Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Freightliner Group Limited
Doug Kinsman
Doug Kinsman Chair of Crewe Town Board
Dr Kieran Mullan
Dr Kieran Mullan MP for Crewe and Nantwich
Fiona Bruce
Fiona Bruce Member of Parliament for Congleton
Jo Gideon
Jo Gideon Member of Parliament for Stoke-On-Trent Central
Mike Amesbury
Mike Amesbury Member of Parliament for Weaver Vale
Esther McVey
Esther McVey Member of Parliament for Tatton
Edward Timpson CBE
Edward Timpson CBE Member of Parliament for Eddisbury
David Rutley
David Rutley Member of Parliament for Macclesfield
Clare Hayward MBE, DL
Clare Hayward MBE, DL Chair, Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership
Chris Matheson
Chris Matheson Member of Parliament for City of Chester
Annette McDonald
Annette McDonald Deputy Managing Director, Tatton Estates
Andy Carter
Andy Carter Member of Parliament for Warrington South
Jonathan Gullis
Jonathan Gullis Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent North

Here's what some of our supporters have to say:

In recent weeks we have been speaking to members of the public, local businesses and other people who live and work in Crewe about why the town should be home to the new headquarters for Great British Railways.

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