Heywood is in the running to become home of Great British Railways. The new public body will bring together track and train in a ‘once in a generation’ reform marking the end of a quarter century of fragmentation.
As part of its 'levelling up' agenda, the government wants to base GBR’s national headquarters outside London, generating ‘a number of high-skilled jobs’ for the chosen town or city. In October Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced a competition to find the ideal location for the prestigious HQ, intended as a ‘proud home for a new era in Britain’s railways’. Ministers are looking for places with ‘a rich railway heritage, strong links to the national network and public support for the selected location’.
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Heywood station is not part of the national network, but is the most easterly point on the East Lancashire Railway (ELR) - a 12-mile heritage steam railway with stops including Rawtenstall, Bury and Ramsbottom. Now the town has thrown its hat in the ring with a joint bid from Heywood and Middleton MP Chris Clarkson and local councillors Alan McCarthy and Jacqui Beswick.
Mr Clarkson said: "I couldn't be happier that the Department for Transport have recognised Heywood's huge potential as a possible future home of GBR - all the ingredients are here for incredible success and GBR would be a welcome addition to the North East [Greater Manchester] Growth Corridor, catalysing investment and attracting exciting new jobs and training opportunities.”
The constituency’s first Tory MP added: “As far as I'm concerned it's 'full steam ahead' for our bid."
Heywood had many engineering firms. There was a major private Railway Wagon building and repairing firm, Standard Wagon, based at Green Lane next to the ELR Heywood station. With the help of Rochdale council, a bid was put together to highlight the town's ‘proud history’ - and its strategic location as a possible future home for a major organisation such as GBR.
In a joint statement Coun Beswick and Coun McCarthy, both Conservatives, said the HQ would be ‘exactly what Heywood needs.’ They said: “It's absolutely right that the government has recognised the potential of the area and ranked our bid alongside strong contenders like Crewe or Eastleigh. People here have a huge amount to offer and we could make this a real success."
Rochdale council leader Neil Emmott has also backed the bid - but was rather more circumspect regarding the government’s commitment to ‘levelling up’.
“If the government is serious about levelling up, then giving this bid the green light and making Heywood the home of Great British Railways would be a welcome step in the right direction,” he said. “I would urge the government to back this bid and also get behind our local vision for a new tram-train link into Heywood, new bus service from Heywood into Manchester and to extend the East Lancashire heritage railway line.”
However he said that until the government ‘matches its words with action’ he feared 'levelling up' would ‘continue to be nothing more than an empty slogan’.
Coun Emmott added: “Let’s not forget that over the last decade over £180m of government cuts have been made to the council budget, adversely hitting services in Heywood. "Despite this, I am proud of the council’s local record of investment in Heywood, including the £30m Junction 19 link road, the Phoenix Centre and library, the regeneration of the town’s impressive war memorial and gardens, and investment in Queen’s Park.”
The bid will now be assessed alongside other competing sites in May, with a final decision expected this summer. GBR will begin running services from 2023.
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