Transport
secretary


Louise
Haigh
was
among
more
than
200
guests
at
the
official
opening
of
Derby’s
Rail
Campus,
and
during
the
event
she
emphasised
that
major
railway
reforms
are
already
under
way.

Yesterday’s
opening
follows
the
recent
creation
of
Shadow
Great
British
Railways,
which
is
to
be
based
at
Derby,
and
where
the
GBR
Transition
Team
is
already
at
work.

The
city
is
traditionally
described
as
the
largest
hub
of
rail-related
businesses
in
Europe,
and
the
Campus
is
the
result
of
a
joint
effort
between
Derby
City
Council,
the
Great
British
Railways
Transition
Team,
East
Midlands
Combined
County
Authority,
and
other
stakeholders.

The
transport
secretary
said
the
city
would
play
a
key
role
in
transforming
the
railways:
‘Derby
is
already
a
hub
for
rail
with
the
largest
concentration
of
innovation
and
expertise
in
Europe,
and
today
I
was
delighted
to
see
how
the
local
council
plans
to
expand
this
even
further
through
a
new
Rail
Campus,’
she
said.

‘The
lack
of
political
leadership
on
rail
has
left
an
industry
more
comfortable
looking
inwards,
that
fails
to
pull
together
when
things
go
wrong,
that
has
lost
focus
on
improving
each
part
of
people’s
experience
with
the
railways
–
so
passengers
don’t
get
the
journeys
they
deserve.

‘The
railways
are
at
the
centre
of
our
plans
for
change,
and
I
look
forward
to
seeing
how
the
Campus
will
lead
to
greater
innovation,
growth
and
collaboration,
benefiting
not
only
our
rail
network
but
the
wider
economy
too.’

Derby
City
Council
leader
Councillor
Nadine
Peatfield
added:
‘This
is
a
once
in
a
lifetime
opportunity
for
Derby;
one
that
will
create
more
training
and
jobs
for
local
people,
and
bring
huge
opportunities
for
further
regeneration.

‘Rail
Campus
Derby
will
not
only
preserve
our
rail
heritage,
but
will
also
be
a
catalyst
for
future
economic
growth,
bringing
together
all
aspects
of
the
railway
industry,
attracting
more
investment,
and
creating
further
opportunities
for
collaboration
across
the
sector.

‘I
know
the
potential
that
Derby
has.
We
already
boast
an
incredibly
skilled
workforce
and
are
home
to
major
players
and
an
unrivalled
rail
sector.
By
working
together
we
can
make
Rail
Campus
Derby
the
beating
heart
of
the
rail
network.’