A (presumably unintended) consequence of the HS2 shambles.
"The future of two factories set to build trains for the High Speed 2 line from London to Birmingham is in doubt because a lack of other orders may force their closure before the work is due to begin, Hitachi and Alstom have warned.
Ministers this week told Hitachi that they would not place a new order for conventional trains that would have kept its Newton Aycliffe plant in the north-east of England in business until the HS2 build began in 18 months, according to people familiar with the matter.
Meanwhile, France’s Alstom has told the Financial Times that it had “all but run out of time” to secure the future of its plant in Derby because it also faces a gap in production.
Train companies are technically in charge of making rolling stock orders, but their budgets for these are set by the government."
FT.com
The country needs a transport policy.
"The future of two factories set to build trains for the High Speed 2 line from London to Birmingham is in doubt because a lack of other orders may force their closure before the work is due to begin, Hitachi and Alstom have warned.
Ministers this week told Hitachi that they would not place a new order for conventional trains that would have kept its Newton Aycliffe plant in the north-east of England in business until the HS2 build began in 18 months, according to people familiar with the matter.
Meanwhile, France’s Alstom has told the Financial Times that it had “all but run out of time” to secure the future of its plant in Derby because it also faces a gap in production.
Train companies are technically in charge of making rolling stock orders, but their budgets for these are set by the government."
FT.com
The country needs a transport policy.
