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Birmingham Post
Birmingham Post
Business
Jon Robinson

Bentley and Avanti West Coast among 100 businesses to back town's bid to host Great British Railways headquarters

The likes of Bentley and Avanti West Coast are among 100 businesses to have backed Crewe's bid to host the new headquarters of Great British Railways (GBR).

The companies have signed an open letter to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps that has been sent by Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership.

Other local businesses to have backed the bid include Freightliner and Morning Foods.

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It was announced earlier this month that Crewe had made the shortlist of possible locations alongside Birmingham, Derby, Doncaster, Newcastle upon Tyne and York.

Great British Railways is the new national rail operator and will operate from 2023.

Clare Hayward, Chair of Cheshire and Warrington LEP, said: "Businesses across the region are fully behind Crewe’s bid to be the home of Great British Railways HQ.

"When we are chosen as the home of GBR HQ, our businesses will collaborate to ensure that it is a huge success and consequently the positive impact will be felt widely. Crewe is the heart of rail, rail matters to Crewe, rail matters to its community, rail is in its heritage and in its future.

"There is a pride across the region built on its past, present and its future. Crewe has the rail knowledge and skills to continue to deliver for the rail industry. This pride is felt across the wider regional business community, this pride means you care and when you care you perform and we know we can make the GBR HQ a success, impacting every sector including leisure and hospitality, construction and engineering.

"There would be a heartfelt welcome for the GBRHQ team because Crewe is at the heart of rail. There is so much to gain from this opportunity for everyone."

Blake Jones, Freightliner’s managing director of UK rail services, added: "People in Crewe are so passionate about rail and this extends to the business community. We all want to ensure that GBR is a success both for Crewe and for the wider country.

"While GBR has so much to offer to Crewe, our businesses have so much to offer GBR. This expertise will be absolutely vital to ensuring GBR is a success. This letter is our way of saying that we want GBR to come to Crewe and if it does, we will all be ready to help make it that success."

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