An ambitious £500million plan to build 14 more trains at a Hitachi plant in County Durham could safeguard hundreds of jobs as the new investment takes shape. British transport group First Group, leasing firm Angel Trains, and Hitachi have reached a deal to order 14 five-carriage trains to run in 2027 on the new Carmarthen-London route and East Coast Mainline service, reports Sky News.
The plan is likely to safeguard 700 jobs with the huge investment for the Newton Aycliffe site. A lull in orders at Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe facility in County Durham had previously raised concerns about the future of the site and its employees.
The contract to build the five-car class 80X Hitachi electric or bi-mode trains was agreed between FirstGroup, Hitachi and Angel Trains, with delivery expected to begin in 2027.
A further £460m investment for 13 five-car trains is an option for the plant.
Jim Brewin, UK and Ireland chief director for Hitachi Rail, said the contract was “a positive step forward” and “just recognition for the hard work and patience of our teams”.
He said: “We look forward to once again delivering for Hull Trains and Lumo passengers who will benefit further from our award-winning British-built trains”
During the general election campaign, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited the plant and said the workforce was “staring down the barrel of devastating job losses”.
Speaking to BBC Look North at the factory, the prime minister described its workforce as “world class” and said the deal had eased the worry felt by employees in recent months.
He said: “I stood before them last time I was here and said, if we win the election and form a government, I give you my word we will do everything we can to try to make sure there’s a deal to fill that gap and take away that anxiety.
“It’s really good for train-building, it’s really good for the country but, on a human level, it’s so important for them, their families, the whole communities here that depend on those jobs.”
FirstGroup CEO Graham Sutherland said the deal would support UK manufacturing and “offer customers more choice as they consider affordable, environmentally friendly modes of travel”.
Angel Trains added it was the first announcement of its kind in six years.