Understand
Sir John Kingman appointed as chair of Great British Railways
Overview
The UK government has appointed Sir John Kingman, chairman of Barclays Bank UK and former civil servant, as the chair of Great British Railways (GBR). GBR will unify track and train responsibilities under a single public sector organisation for the first time since the mid-1990s. The announcement follows the confirmation that the GBR headquarters will be located on the former Duckworth Square site in Derby city centre.
Key points
- Sir John Kingman, chairman of Barclays Bank UK, has been named chair of Great British Railways (GBR).
- GBR will combine responsibility for railway tracks and trains under a single organisation.
- The GBR headquarters will be built on the former Duckworth Square site in Derby city centre.
- Construction of the new headquarters is scheduled to begin early next year and finish by spring 2029.
- Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander praised Sir John's record across government and industry.