What are the benefits?

Our bid strongly aligns with the government's levelling-up agenda because it will contribute to the regeneration of Parkside in Newton-le-Willows and the wider area, as well as restoring community pride and sense of place by reviving and celebrating our region's unique, globally significant and living railway heritage. 

Newton-le-Willows is located on the historic Liverpool & Manchester Railway, which will celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2030. This anniversary can help celebrate the past and inspire the next generation of railway workers, engineers and innovators. 

This joint bid with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) will also help cement the region's important role in the rail industry, with a number of major rail industry companies already being based here and backing our bid. Our region also already has experience of bringing together different rail groups to work together and we can replicate the LCRCA success on a national scale. 

Parkside is also a significant part of the Freeport proposals by LCRCA, which will bring wide-ranging benefits to the region and would complement the national GBR headquarters.

The national GBR headquarters is expected to be home to corporate functions, a number of network-wide capabilities and meeting and collaboration spaces that will enable people from across the region and industry to come together.