More than 1,300 jobs are at risk at Britain's largest railcar assembly plant. Alstom is consulting on job cuts at its Lychurch Lane site in Derby, which has no confirmed workload beyond the first quarter of 2024, reports the BBC.
Work on trains for HS2 is scheduled to begin at the plant at the end 2026, but from the beginning of next year there has been a shortage of orders. An Alstom spokesman told reporters that the company had been working with the government over the past six months to ensure a "sustainable future" for the plant.
Derby City Council leader Baggie Shanker said:
“This morning Alstom informed us that after months of negotiations with the government they must now plan to cease production of rolling stock in the city. The Lychurch Lane plant is a unique asset for Derby and the UK and we understand the impact these supply chain job losses will have on our residents and the wider region. Ministers really need to commit and focus on this vital industrial sector. To date, I am disappointed that no minister has agreed to speak with us on this issue."
A spokesman for the Ministry of Transport stated:
"The iron and steel industry Roads are an important part of the UK economy and we will work closely with Alstom as it continues to meet its contractual obligations, as we do with all rolling stock manufacturers. Although this is a commercial matter for the company, we have already established a dedicated cross-government working group to provide appropriate support to Alstom workers during these troubling times.”
