I know just how important our train manufacturing industry and the jobs it provides to our city is, and do not want to see any redundancies at Litchurch Lane.
Since learning of the production gap at the facility in April, Government have been working constructively with Alstom to find a solution to this issue which would allow them to continue to build trains through 2025 before they deliver a lucrative HS2 order and potentially a variety of other significant possibilities in the coming years. I have held regular meetings with the Secretary of State to ensure he is both aware of the importance the site has for Derby North and to keep up to date on the progress with discussions. I genuinely know that the Secretary of State and his team have taken this matter very seriously, spending many many hours in meetings with Alstom, rollingstock manufacturers and others to find workable solutions.
It is important to recognise the fact that Government can't simply order trains they do not need, or bypass tendering regulations to accelerate these commercial decisions. It is not simply at the gift of the Secretary of State or Rail Minister to manufacture orders, these discussions are complex and involve rollingstock owners, rail operators, HM Treasury as well as the Department for Transport. Therefore, the suggestion that these are “negotiations” between the DfT and Alstom are erroneous and intended to politicise commercially sensitive conversations between stakeholders.
Closure of Litchurch Lane is not necessary; I was incredibly disappointed with the inaccurate and counterproductive briefings made to the national papers and local press this week that Government have not engaged constructively with the train manufacturer. In fact, the Department for Transport has had very constructive discussions with Alstom UK and the Alstom Group, and the company have a number of lucrative opportunities for the Derby site, including the well-publicised HS2 Phase 1 order. Contrary to certain press briefings which stated that progress had not been made, I know that concrete positive steps have been taken on all the possible avenues Alstom identified.
It is firmly my view that Derby offers considerable commercial potential to Alstom as the Government has clearly signposted to the rail manufacturing industry a handsome pipeline of expected orders in the forthcoming years. I know Alstom will be well placed to take full advantage of this market here in Derby and I know ministers have done all they can to assist them with a production gap that the company have been aware of for some time.
Therefore, I believe there is every reason for Alstom to remain here in Derby.
