Network Rail is to build a £120 million national headquarters in Milton Keynes to rationalise the number of facilities it has across the country.
The “not for dividend” company, which owns and operates the railway infrastructure, has shortlisted five firms to build an “eco-friendly” building on the site of the former national hockey stadium, which is being pulled down later this year.
Around 3,000 jobs will be relocated to the centre from across the country, mainly “corporate staff” doing administration and human resources functions, as well as some “strategic engineering roles,” said Network Rail.
It said: “These are largely support functions that are currently spread across the country. It is difficult for these people to arrange meetings, so placing them in one building will save time and money.
“Milton Keynes is a good central location near our Westwood development centre and facility at Derby.”
The announcement follows confirmation from Network Rail that it plans to cut 1,800 maintenance workers from its staff by April 2011 to help meet the £4 billion cost reduction targets that the Office of Rail Regulation has demanded.
© PE Publishing, 9 September 2009
