Residents, workers and businesses across Derbyshire and the wider region have been urged to back Derby’s bid to become the new home of Great British Railways.
East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles called on the public to vote for Derby ahead of the deadline on Monday 15 August.
It will help determine, alongside other factors, which of the six shortlisted cities and towns will be the location of the headquarters for the country’s new public body for railways.
Scott said winning the bid would help Derby further cement its position as a national centre of the rail industry, attracting investment that would create new jobs.
“Derby and the rail industry go hand-in-hand, so it feels like the natural location for a national centre of our railways,” he said.
“Its 200-year legacy as the centre of UK rail remains highly relevant today as the home of the country’s largest train factory, where operator Alstom will soon build the next generation of high-speed trains in a joint venture with Hitachi Rail, alongside the many small businesses that make up the supply chain.
“Creating the Great British Railways headquarters in Derby would build on this expertise, further develop the skillsets from its industrial heritage and shine a spotlight on the city’s economic strengths.
“When combined with other exciting regional projects such as the East Midlands Freeport, this could help attract new investment from companies that may wish to be located near a national centre and create jobs for these skills to thrive – all relevant to the Government’s levelling up agenda.
“All these benefits would not just be felt in Derby, but across the wider region too, so we call on the East Midlands public to get behind Derby’s bid to become the new home of Great British Railways by voting.”
The public vote, which involves selecting the preferred location and providing a postcode, can be accessed here.
For more information about the Destination Derby bid, visit www.derbygbr.co.uk or search the hashtag #DerbyGBR on Twitter.
