The Progressive Alliance on Milton Keynes Council will support MK’s bid to be the future home for Great British Rail at Full Council later this month, highlighting exactly why we are the ‘obvious choice’.

Labour and Liberal Democrat Councillors will put forward a motion on the city’s bid for the National Railway HQ – a bid that has already received cross-party support.

The motion will explain:

• The city’s long-standing association with the rail industry, as Wolverton was the world’s first purpose-built railway town and Bletchley’s Varsity Line helped make Bletchley Park the codebreaking base that shortened WW2.
• How Milton Keynes is already home to Network Rail’s The Quadrant, which hosts around 4000 skilled rail jobs.
• That the Council opposes any future plans to reduce the operational size of Network Rail staff based in Milton Keynes.
• That ‘levelling up’ should not mean ‘levelling down’ other areas.

Councillor Robin Bradburn, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader of Milton Keynes Council, will move the motion:

“We believe that Milton Keynes is the obvious choice for the Great British Rail HQ because of the strength of the railway sector and economy locally. Our city sits at the heart of the railway network, it is home to several major rail companies, and we have a highly skilled railway workforce, so we hope to welcome Great British Rail in the future.”

Councillor Pete Marland, Labour Leader of Milton Keynes Council, added:

“Although the Progressive Alliance echoes calls for Milton Keynes to be home to Great British Rail, we also want assurance that our already-existing railway jobs will be protected. Thousands of rail workers are understandably concerned about job security, questioning whether this competition could affect them. We side with these workers and oppose any plans to reduce the vital workforce in Milton Keynes.”