Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Business

HS2 hold-ups put 2,000 jobs at risk as assembly plant could run out of work

by September 12, 2023
September 12, 2023
HS2 hold-ups put 2,000 jobs at risk as assembly plant could run out of work

Thousands of high-value manufacturing jobs are at risk because Britain’s largest train assembly plant is due to run out of work by the end of the year after delays in the contract to build high-speed rolling stock for HS2.

Ministers are being warned that if the factory, with a workforce of 2,000, is mothballed, 1,400 UK supply chain companies employing as many as 17,000 people also will be affected.

The Litchurch Lane works in Derby has been building trains since the advent of the railway boom during the Industrial Revolution. Since 2021 it has been owned by Alstom after its takeover of Bombardier. It is the French group’s single largest production facility worldwide and includes a workforce of 500 design engineers.

Most recently, the plant has supplied the fleet of 70 trains for the Elizabeth Line on London’s Crossrail network and has supplied London’s Underground and Overground services, as well South Western, Greater Anglia, West Midlands and the c2c Essex commuter lines. Two years ago it won Britain’s first train export order in more than a decade, supplying the Cairo monorail system in Egypt. However, that contract and existing British orders all come to a close by the end of this year.

It had been hoped that the £2 billion design-and-build contract for HS2, won in alliance with the Hitachi plant at Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham, would sustain the factory for years to come. However, the start of manufacturing for that has been pushed back to late 2026 because of delays in the construction of the HS2 high-speed line.

Alstom had been hoping, too, that it would win other contracts to replace or re-engineer the older diesel trains of CrossCountry and Chiltern Railways and to produce new rolling stock for Southeastern, but Department for Transport tenders for that work, delayed by the pandemic, have not been forthcoming.

“There is no pipeline of work for Derby from the first quarter of next year because of the delays and dithering,” Steve Turner, assistant general secretary for manufacturing at the Unite trade union, said. “This could be devastating for Derby and we could be looking at the destruction of the rail supply chain in general in this country.”

It is understood that Alstom is looking at plans to reduce the workforce at Derby after a lack of assurances from ministers. The company said: “Derby is very important to Alstom and to the UK rail sector. It is the only UK factory that can design, engineer, build and test trains for domestic and export markets.”

The transport department said: “Rail manufacturing plays an important role in growing the UK economy and delivering better services for passengers. The government remains committed to supporting the entire sector. We remain in contact with Alstom as it develops a sustainable future for its Derby site.”

Read more:
HS2 hold-ups put 2,000 jobs at risk as assembly plant could run out of work

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Amazon to require self-publishers to declare if content sold on site is AI-generated
next post
Google’s Antitrust Trial Starts: What’s at Stake and Why This Case Matters

You may also like

UK private sector activity contracts for second month,...

May 23, 2025

GOV.UK Forms to streamline public access to government...

November 4, 2024

Why High Pay Day matters

January 26, 2023

Virgin Money and TSB planning more job cuts

February 7, 2024

UK Farmers Prepare for Further Protests Over Cheap...

February 11, 2024

Inheritance Tax Receipts raise £600 million in a...

May 23, 2023

Former owners buy back Butlin’s from private equity...

September 21, 2022

The Rise Of The Bitcoin Market In 2022

October 20, 2022

UK to launch dispute proceedings against EU this...

August 17, 2022

Amazon profits nearly triple as company reports $143.1bn...

October 27, 2023

UK private sector activity contracts for second month,...

May 23, 2025

GOV.UK Forms to streamline public access to government...

November 4, 2024

Why High Pay Day matters

January 26, 2023

Virgin Money and TSB planning more job cuts

February 7, 2024

UK Farmers Prepare for Further Protests Over Cheap...

February 11, 2024

Inheritance Tax Receipts raise £600 million in a...

May 23, 2023

Former owners buy back Butlin’s from private equity...

September 21, 2022

The Rise Of The Bitcoin Market In 2022

October 20, 2022

UK to launch dispute proceedings against EU this...

August 17, 2022

Amazon profits nearly triple as company reports $143.1bn...

October 27, 2023

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Trump warns of ‘serious consequences’ if Elon Musk funds Democrats

      June 7, 2025
    • Musk jokes about reconsidering stance on Big Beautiful Bill after Schiff’s praise

      June 7, 2025
    • Musk deletes explosive posts about Trump and Epstein files

      June 7, 2025
    • House witness flips script on Dem who ambushed him during hearing with unearthed tweet: ‘Iceberg is ahead’

      June 7, 2025
    • Call with China’s Xi, and Trump-Musk exchange fueled barbs during 20th week in office

      June 7, 2025
    • Trump’s conservative allies warn Congress faces critical ‘test’ with $9.4B spending cut proposal

      June 7, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,152)
    • Investing (2,019)
    • Politics (15,568)
    • Stocks (3,136)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved