TWO major Hampshire leaders have locked horns after both bidding to bring a railway HQ to their neighbouring constituencies.

A competition to decide where to base the new public body to manage the countries railways, Great British Railways (GBR), is to open soon.

Last month, Eastleigh MP Paul Holmes launched a campaign to bring the facility – and hundreds of new jobs – to the town.

Paul Holmes, Eastleigh MP at the M27

Paul Holmes, Eastleigh MP at the M27

But now, the leader of Southampton City Council has also officially expressed an interest.

"While Cllr Fitzhenry (leader) is understandably making the case for his area, Eastleigh is a much better choice," said Mr Holmes.

"We have the proud history and pedigree as a railway town. My constituents can be assured that I’ll be working as hard as I possibly can to make Eastleigh the new home of Great British Railways in any competition."

In October, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced that a competition will be run to identify the first national headquarters for (GBR).

“We, and our partners across the city, are working hard to get Southampton moving and create new opportunities to improve our local economy,” said leader Cllr Daniel Fitzhenry.

Councillor Daniel Fitzhenry

Councillor Daniel Fitzhenry

“Having the first national headquarters of Great British Railways in Southampton will not only be an asset to our bid to become the UK City of Culture 2025, it will also level-up our communities by boosting employment, upskilling our workforce and supporting business growth.

“The pandemic has been an incredibly difficult period for businesses across the whole of the UK. As part of our approach to address it locally, we have entered into a new partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that aligns national programmes and initiatives with our local needs. The Great British Railways HQ project offers the potential added benefit of providing supported opportunities to those not currently in employment.”

Grant Shapps (PA)

Grant Shapps (PA)

A commitment from government that the national headquarters will be based outside of London, ensuring skilled jobs, investment and economic benefits are focused beyond the capital, was also made.

Last month, Mr Holmes said: “Eastleigh is a proud railway town with an impressive history dating back to 1838. Our town would be the perfect location for the new headquarters of Great British Railways."