Demonstrators


calling
for
the
Alstom
works
in
Derby
to
be
saved
have
been
lobbying
Parliament.

One
group
was
from
the
Unite
union,
while
Derby
councillors
and
business
leaders
were
also
in
Westminster.
The
lobby
of
Parliament
was
timed
to
coincide
with
a
meeting
of
the
Transport
Select
Committee
which
was
hearing
evidence
about
the
future
of
Britain’s
trains.

The
witnesses
questioned
by
the
Committee
included
Nick
Crossfield,
managing
director
of
Alstom
UK
&
Ireland,
and
the
Railway
Industry
Association’s
technical
director
David
Clarke.
MPs
were
also
due
to
question
Malcom
Brown,
who
is
the
chief
executive
of
the
rolling
stock
leasing
company
Angel
Trains.
Companies
like
Angel
provide
nearly
all
the
capital
to
purchase
new
trains.

The
threatened
closure
of
the
Alstom
works
at
Litchurch
Lane
in
Derby
is
said
to
have
put
at
least
1300
jobs
directly
at
risk,
plus
900
or
more
in
the
East
Midlands
supply
chain.

Unite
general
secretary
Sharon
Graham
said:
‘Unite
will
do
everything
that
is
required
to
secure
the
future
of
the
Alstom
workforce.
The
government’s
failure
to
properly
plan
its
procurement
process
cannot
and
will
not
be
allowed
to
threaten
the
livelihoods
of
our
members.
If
the
government
allows
this
to
happen
it
will
be
a
gross
betrayal
of
the
workforce
and
the
people
of
Derby.

‘Rail
workers
in
Derby
deserve
better
than
this,
their
futures
have
been
thrown
into
jeopardy
by
issues
beyond
their
control.
Ministers
can’t
be
allowed
to
wash
their
hands
of
this
crisis
and
they
must
come
forward
with
a
just
solution.
Equally,
Alstom
needs
to
play
its
part
and
invest
in
the
site
to
reinforce
its
position
as
a
world
leader
in
train
manufacturing.’

Derby
City
Council
leader
Baggy
Shanker
said
the
Alstom
plant
is
a
‘strategically
crucial
part
of
the
UK’s
rail
capabilities
and
the
Government
needs
to
recognise
this’.

He
continued:
‘There
will
be
dreadful
consequences
for
the
city,
the
East
Midlands
and
the
country
as
a
whole,
if
train
production
in
Derby
is
lost.
The
hundreds
of
jobs
that
will
disappear
at
Alstom
will
be
mirrored
by
thousands
more
in
the
supply
chain
and
when
the
nation
does
want
to
order
new
trains
in
the
future,
it
will
struggle
to
find
anyone
in
the
UK
to
build
them.

‘This
is
simply
unthinkable
for
a
country
which
gave
railways
to
the
world
and
the
Government
has
to
find
the
political
will
to
resolve
this
crisis.’