Petitions supporting Carnforth’s bid to be the headquarters for Great British Railways have been handed in to Parliament.
The petitions, numbering more than 1,500, and backing Carnforth’s bid, were formally lodged in the House of Commons by the Conservative MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, David Morris.
Mr Morris said: ‘’Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker (Nigel Evans MP).
‘’We have petitions from 1,500 people from Carnforth and the surrounding area.
‘’And I’m really glad and honoured to say that my friend, the member for Lancaster and Fleetwood (Labour MP, Cat Smith), is here in the chamber to support as well.
‘’This shows democracy is alive and well, as more than a third of the people returned the petition.’’
A bid was officially submitted for Carnforth to become the home of a new public body that will be in charge of the country’s railways back in March.
The winning town will become the first headquarters of Great British Railways.
The bid focuses on Carnforth’s rich rail heritage and the benefits it would reap through the new HQ.
The town’s connections with the railway, in particular the Victorian steam revolution, are rich and deep, with it still affectionately referred to as ‘Steamtown’.
Carnforth’s importance came from its position at the crossroads of the North-South mainline and the East-West lines linking the Furness peninsula with West Yorkshire and beyond. It became not only a hub for the railways, but also for the Post Office and the site of an iron and steel works.
This indelible link with the railways was immortalised in David Lean’s 1956 film Brief Encounter, with one of the most romantic and poignant love scenes in cinema history shot at Carnforth.
The bid also looks at the wider economic benefits the new HQ would bring to Carnforth and how it would be the perfect ‘levelling up’ project.
An announcement on which areas have been shortlisted for the new Great British Railways HQ is expected to be made in in the coming weeks.
A non-binding public vote will then take place before a final decision is made later in the summer.
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