WOLVERHAMPTON, WEST MIDLANDS - UK: 07:45AM, MONDAY MARCH 15TH 2021

Kashmire Hawker – Wolverhampton based member of the West Midlands Young Combined Authority (WMYCA) and the board’s Co-Portfolio Lead for Transport, releases the following statement, as a result of the announcement of the Department for Transport creating a Duel Headquarters in Birmingham:

"As the Young Combined Authority’s Co-Portfolio Lead for Transport, I express my real delight and massively welcome this morning’s announcement by the Department for Transport; that will see a Duel Headquarters set up in Birmingham!

The Transport related powers in the hands of the Combined Authority (via Transport for West Midlands - TfWM), makes our bit of the world very ideal - to host such a critical Government department. And with High Speed 2 on the horizon, more cleaner and greener buses, trains and other modes in development - alongside the rollout of the WM Cycle Hire scheme and the multi-million plans for infrastructre improvements, also gives this very good timing.

This alongside the MHCLG Duel Headquarters here in Wolverhampton, will give many hundreds of residents fantastic opportunities in serving the nation, enable our region's youth to have new doors opened and ultimately give the West Midlands Combined Authority and it's Mayor (whomever that is after May 6th) an enhanced scope, in seeking further powers going forward.

I very much look forward to seeing DfT make there move here and in stating I would be more than happy to meet representatives of the Department, I can't wait to see them make a good impact on the West Midlands!"