Plans to get Chesterfield’s rail industry back on track after Great British Railways success

Council chiefs hope Chesterfield’s railway heritage can be revived thanks to the announcement that a new national transport body is to be based at Derby.

The news that Derby has been selected for the headquarters of Great British Railways (GBR) was welcomed by Chesterfield Borough Council (CBC), which supported the city’s bid to host the replacement for National Rail.

Leader Councillor Tricia Gilby said: “I was pleased to offer Chesterfield Borough Council’s full support for Derby’s bid, and we look forward to working with the city to see how the Government’s decision to invest in Derby can also benefit our long-held ambition to grow the rail sector in Chesterfield.

“Through the Staveley Town Deal we are working with partners to develop the Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle (DRIIVe) at Barrow Hill Roundhouse.

“DRIIVe will provide a base for training the next generation of railway engineers and pioneering new advances within the rail sector through the provision of facilities for research and development.”

CBC had originally planned to submit a joint bid with Derby City Council, however the Government only accepted submissions from individual places and Derby was felt to be the stronger candidate moving forward.

Coun Gilby continued: “Given our proximity to Derby and the positive relationships we have built up with the city council in our support of their bid, we very much hope that Chesterfield will be able to benefit from Derby cementing its place at the heart of Great Britain’s rail industry.”