A MAJOR new rail operations centre and training centre could be opened in York bringing hundreds of jobs to the city.
Network Rail plans to control the entire East Coast Main line in England from a new 7,300 square metre operations centre on a triangle of land between York Station and Holgate Bridge.
It says about 475 people would be employed there but, initially at least, it expects the majority of these jobs to be relocated from elsewhere in the business.
It also wants to create a 6,500 square metre “workforce development centre,” which would replace existing centres elsewhere and provide core maintenance training and operations and higher technical training for staff. About 25 to 30 people would be employed there, although again these are likely to be mostly relocated jobs.
City of York council leader James Alexander said: “The city has a strong railway heritage and I hope that plans for the new Rail Operating Centre will help secure existing jobs and expertise in York, as well as generating opportunities for further growth,” he said.
“We will continue to work closely with Network Rail to support their work in the city.”
A Network Rail spokeswoman said the operations centre would be one of 14 centres nationwide and would be a consolidation of existing signalling and route control facilities.
The company has applied to City of York Council for a “screening opinion” on whether an Environmental Impact Assessment would need to be conducted.
Meanwhile, Network Rail has also submitted a planning application for demolition of three workshops on a site elsewhere on the York Central site in Leeman Road, where a massive re-development scheme has currently stalled.
The spokeswoman said the depots were former let buildings which became vacant when Jarvis went into administration last year.
“The demolition aims to improve visual appearance of the York Central Site and clear buildings that are in a poor state of repair in preparation for any future development of the site.”
Susie Cawood, head of York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, hailed the announcement as “fantastic news”.
She said: “It underpins the news that John Lewis wants to open a store and illustrates the diversity of the economy. The chamber is very much in favour of development and growth.”
Vital to preserve rail connections
YORK has a proud heritage as a railway city: one that dates right back to the early days of steam, and the city’s magnificent railway station.
The National Railway Museum is in many ways the living embodiment of that heritage.
It is desperately important, however, that the city’s rail connections should be more than just a museum piece. For much of the last century, York was a major centre for coachbuilding. But the end of the 20th century was a grim time for rail manufacturing in the city, as first ABB, then Thrall Europa which replaced it, both closed. Hundreds of jobs were lost.
Today there is much better news.
Network Rail is proposing to build a new operations centre on a triangle of little-used land between York station and Holgate Bridge, with a training centre next door.
Almost 500 people would be employed at the operations centre, which would control the entire East Coast Main Line in England.
If this were to come off, it would be a real boost for York. Many of the people working at the new operations centre would be staff who transfer there from elsewhere. So there might not be, initially at least, that many new jobs.
Nevertheless, the scheme would involve major investment in the city, and many construction jobs. It would be a welcome demonstration of Network Rail’s commitment to York, and would ensure that this city’s relationship with the railways remained a living and breathing one, rather than simply a chapter in the history books.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel