Public are urged to help shape rail centre

Plans were announced by Network Rail in November for the Rail Operating Centre (ROC), which is one of just 14 proposed sites across Britain.

The proposed facility in York would control rail operations on the East Coast Main Line from London to the Scottish Borders.

York Council’s leader James Alexander has now urged the city’s residents to back the plans, which will be on public display this week.

He said: “The city has a strong railway heritage and I hope that plans for the new ROC will help secure existing jobs and expertise in York, as well as generating opportunities for further growth.

“I encourage residents to engage with the consultation to see how the proposed changes may affect them and will continue to work closely with Network Rail to support their work in the city.”

The ROC and training centre is earmarked for a site of disused land next to York’s railway station. It would be the largest of its kind and enable services such as signalling and traffic control to be centralised into a single base.

However, Network Rail has admitted the centre would create no additional jobs for the city, with the 475 people employed there either existing railway workers in York or personnel moved from other parts of the region.

It raised fears that “consolidating” jobs in York would lead to the closure of signal boxes throughout Yorkshire, with staff offered early retirement or voluntary redundancy.

Network Rail officials will be joined by architects and contractors at public events this week. They will be at the main ticket hall at York railway station tomorrow, and then at St Paul’s Church in Holgate on Wednesday. Both sessions will be held between 11am and 7pm. Feedback will shape a planning application which will be submitted to York Council.

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